The bright star Canopus is too far south to see from the UK, but it can be seen from La Palma from late August to April. These are exactly the months when it might rain on La Palma.
The British aren’t usually fond of rain, but the Canary Islands could do with more rain not less, and four months with no rain at all must have been a serious problem for the Awara, who had no means of storing water in bulk. Life was easier when you could see Canopus.
The experts think Canopus was the star which the Awara believed to be the cosmic egg, (combining male and female, dryness and water) which exploded to form the world and the sky.
At this time of year, Canopus is visible in the south early mornings. If you can recognise Orion, it’s easy to spot the very bright star Sirius beneath it (looking rather like Orion’s football). Canopus is well below Sirius and farther south. It’s the brightest star in that part of the sky, and it never gets very far above the horizon.
