Canis Major

Properties:

Right Ascension: 06h 12.5m to 07h 27.5m

Declination: −11.03° to −33.25°

Best Visibility: February(latitudes between +60 degrees and -90 degrees at 9 PM)

Symbolism: the greater dog

In Greek myth, Canis Major represents the dog Laelaps, a gift from Zeus to Europa. The Maori people of New Zealand recognized Canis Major as a distinct entity, despite the fact that Canis Major was sometimes merged in with other constellations.

Canis Major is home to Sirius, the brightest star in the entire night sky(except the Sun, of course). Sirius' brightness can be heavily attributed to the fact that it is fairly close to our Solar System. Sirius, due to its distinctive relative brightness, has played a huge role in cultural traditions worldwide. Many cultures have associated it with their deities and the Ancient Egyptians believed that the rise of Sirius in the night sky signified the cyclic flooding of the Nile. However, it is important to note that Sirius is a binary star system, not a singular star. Sirius A is a main sequence white star hotter than our own Sun while Sirius B has evolved past the main sequence and become a white dwarf.