According to the Turkmen folk calendar, from 12 August, ‘Yaldyrak’ — Sirius, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major — can be seen in the east before dawn. This is reported by the news website Turkmenportal, citing the newspaper ‘Turkmenistan’.

The appearance of ‘Yaldyrak’ is associated with the end of the intense summer heat and the gradual onset of cooler weather. Dew forms in the evenings, and the daytime heat gives way to cooler air.

‘Yaldyrak’ got its name due to its brightness. According to the folk calendar, the star can be seen in this part of the sky until 22 September. From 23 September, it is replaced by the constellation ‘Mizan’ — Libra, which corresponds to the autumnal equinox, when the length of day and night are roughly equal.

The warm period between the appearance of ‘Yaldyrak’ and the arrival of ‘Mizan’ coincides with the formation of cotton fibre in the bolls. According to folk observations, the moderately warm weather during this period helps to improve the quality of the cotton.