DETROIT — Welcome to the “Dog Days” of Summer. Every year, that term gets thrown around — usually more in regard to losing teams than winning — conjuring up images of a tired old hound lazing on a porch or panting because it’s too hot to go outside and play. That’s especially easy to imagine in Texas, where sweltering summer temperatures can feel overbearing.
But did you notice the capitalization? The phrase is “Dog Days,” not “dog days.” That’s because the term was not coined as a colloquialism for heat-driven canine fatigue. It actually comes from a star: Alpha Canis Majoris, otherwise known as Sirius, or “The Dog Star,” which is part of the Canis Majoris constellation.
