The conclusion of the dog days of summer will kick off a flurry of astronomical events in the night sky, including two highly-anticipated events unfolding at the same time.

The dog days of summer are more than just a nickname for what is typically the hottest part of the year in the Northern Hemisphere -- it has roots in astronomy.

Between July 3 and Aug. 11, the bright star Sirius, also called the Dog Star, is in the same region of the sky as the sun. In ancient times, it was believed that the added starlight from Sirius added to the heat of the day, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. While this ancient theory has been debunked, the phrase has stuck around in the vernacular of forecasters over the years.