We all have heard of the term "dog days," which has a direct astronomical connection to the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, in the constellation of Canis Major, the so-called "big dog" of the night sky.

Sirius is the brightest star in the sky, and during the months of June and July the ancients felt that the close proximity of Sirius (the "dog star") to the brightest star of the daytime (the sun) resulted in the extreme heat of the summer season; hence such sultry days have come to be known as dog days.

If we can have dog days, then why not "cat nights?"