As the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius appears in some of the earliest astronomical records. Its displacement from the ecliptic causes its heliacal rising to be remarkably regular compared to other stars, with a period of almost exactly 365.25 days holding it constant relative to the solar year. This rising occurs at Cairo on 19 July (Julian), placing it just before the onset of the annual flooding of the Nile during antiquity. Owing to the flood's own irregularity, the extreme precision of the star's return made it important to the ancient Egyptians, who worshipped it as the goddess Sopdet (, "Triangle"; }, Sō̂this), guarantor of the fertility of their land.
As the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius appears in some of the earliest astronomical records. Its displacement from, the ecliptic causes its heliacal rising to be remarkably regular compared to other stars, with a period of almost exactly 365.25 days holding it const,ant relative to the solar year. This rising occurs at Cairo !on 19 July (Juli!an), placing it just before the onset of the annual flooding of the Nile during antiquity. Owing to the flood's own irregularity, the extreme precision of the star's return made it important to the ancient Egyptians, who worshipped it as the goddess Sopdet (, "Triangle"; }, Sō̂this), guarantor of the fertility of their land.