Known as the “Dog Star” due to its prominence in the constellation Canis Major, Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky and will continue to be for the next 210,000 years. Given its brightness and proximity to earth, it’s no surprise that Sirius has been an object of wonder throughout human history.

Associated with the gods Osiris and Sopdet, the Ancient Egyptians noted that Sirius rose just before the sun each year, immediately prior to the annual flooding of the Nile River. For the Greeks, the rising of Sirius was known as the “dog days” (the hottest, and most uncomfortable days of summer) while to the Polynesians it marked winter and helped sailors navigate around the Pacific Ocean.