Can anyone explain a "Three Dog Night"?

Question

A while back I read in some book that a "Three Dog Night" was the name given to an event in the celestial sky that showed three different objects in the Heavens, at the same time, can someone explain this? Please, curb the jokes, I really need a correct answer.

Answer 1

There was a rock group called "Three Dog Night" and the popular explanation of the time said that they got their name from an expression in Australia that had to do with a cold night.  In order to keep warm, Aussies (Aboriginals, perhaps?) would sleep with their dogs.  If they had to sleep with three dogs, then you knew it was a really cold night.

Answer 2

I believe bradwelljackson just did.

Answer 3

It seems that in the arctic circle it gets mighty cold and on really cold nights you get three dogs to join you in bed for body warmth.

Answer 4

...he was a good friend of mine, I never understood a single word he said but I helped him drink his wine...

Answer 5

Jeremiah was a bullfrog...

Answer 6

not, never.

Answer 7

Michael S is right.  It's an expression that came from the arctic region.

A sledder would huddle with his dogs at night for warmth.  A really cold night would be a '3 dog night'.

Answer 8

I've never heard it referring to a celestial event.  I only know it as a saying for a very cold night.  It's a reference to people who would sleep with their dogs for warmth, and the very coldest nights were "three dog nights,"  meaning it would take three dogs to keep them warm.

It could have something to do with the Canis Major (the Great Dog) constellation, or Sirus (the Dog Star).