August 1, 2024
Is August the Dog Days of Summer?
By Eloise Graham
As Eloise takes some well-deserved time away, please enjoy an encore appearance of this informative and entertaining column from her archives.
The Dog Days of Summer
“The Dog Days of Summer” definition by Merrimack-Webster says the “dog days” is a period of time between early/mid July to early September. This is the time of hot, sultry weather in the Northern Hemisphere. A second defintion states: a period of stagnation or inactivity. That might describe August: Summer is winding down, growing season is slowing down.
The first recorded use of the term “Dog Days” was in 1538. It was referenced because of the rising Dog Star (Sirius). So in reality, “the Dog Days of Summer” is loosely an astronomy term. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. It’s name is derived from the Greek word Seirios meaning glowing or scorching. Sirius is also known as the Dog Star, because it is the chief star in the constellation Canis Major, the Big Dog.
Put it all together; the bright star in the August night sky, the scorching searing sun, the inactivity of people and animals in the heavy humid heat – it must be August and the Dog Days.
August Gemstones
The primary gemstone for August is the peridot. This is a pale green jewel. However, according to the American Gemstone Society, in 2016 August joined June and December as having three birthstones. They are the sardonyx, perodiot and spinel.
The Sardonyx
This stone is an onyx with white layers and sand layers in the stone. The bands of white and varying shades of brown make each polished stone unique. This was the traditional August birthstone.
The Peridot
This light yellow-green sparkling semi-precious gem is the modern birthstone for August. Peridot is gem-quality olivine, a silicate mineral.
The Spinel
In 2016 this magnesium aluminum stone was added to the line-up of gem stones for the month of August. Throughout history it has been confused with many precious gems including the ruby and the sapphire. Because it can come in a plethora of colors, August babies can now choose almost any color to be their birthstone.
