Since the dawn of humanity, curious eyes have gazed at the night sky, wondering what that bright, white disc hovering among the stars could possibly be.

Nowadays, it is known that the Moon is the Earth’s natural satellite, responsible for the daily rise and fall of tides.

The Moon also happens to be the only place in outer space that humanity has had the chance to visit in person.

On July 20, 1969, two American astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin of the Apollo 11 mission, walked on the lunar surface.

Hence, July 20 is celebrated annually by the scientific community as International Moon Day.

But where did the Moon come from? Scientists largely believe the Moon is the result of a great collision which happened billions of years ago.

It is theorised that a Mars-sized planet crashed into the Earth, with the resulting debris eventually clumping together and forming the Moon.

Scientists also know that the Moon will not be with humanity forever. According to a BBC News report, it is already drifting away at the rate of 3.78cm per year.

Of course, the ancients couldn’t have known that and human civilisations have long come up with their own stories of what the Moon is.

The Palace of Chang’e

Whenever the Mooncake Festival comes around every year, Chinese folks tend to remember the myth of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess.

In the story, Chang’e was married to the Divine Archer, Houyi. After angering heaven, the couple was exiled to Earth and condemned to live as mortals.

While Houyi eventually obtained an elixir which would restore their immortality, there wasn’t enough for the both of them.

With neither Houyi nor Chang’e willing to leave their partner behind, they decided to keep the elixir for the time being.

However, Houyi’s human apprentice, Feng Meng, learnt of the elixir and attacked Chang’e, demanding its location.

Realising that Feng Meng wanted to be a god, Chang’e was left with no choice other than to drink the elixir herself.

A goddess once more, Chang’e could no longer live on Earth with her beloved. Instead of returning to heaven, she chose to stay on the Moon instead to be as close as possible to Houyi.

She remains there today, living in her palace of Guang Han Gong (the Vast-Cold Palace). Chinese lunar probes are often named in her honour.

Why the flags?

You may have noticed that the crescent moon is a recurring symbol on Malaysian flags, with it being present on the Jalur Gemilang and five state flags.

It is normally cited as a symbol of the Islamic faith, with many Muslim countries like Pakistan, Algeria and Turkey featuring crescent moons on their flags.

But why? There’s no straight answer, but the Islamic calendar is indeed based on the lunar cycle, with Moon sightings deciding when religious festivals like Hari Raya Aidilfitri are held.

The use of the crescent moon on flags can mostly be traced back to the Ottoman Turks, who may have been inspired by their Byzantine predecessors.

Some historians believe that Europeans warring with the Ottomans misunderstood the crescent as a symbol of Islam, rather than that of the Ottoman state.

The European association of the crescent with Islam would apparently baffle an 18th century Ottoman ambassador to France, according to historian Donald Reid.

The crescent’s association with Islam would eventually be adopted by Muslims, with the 19th century Pan-Islamic movement frequently using the crescent and star as a symbol.

Being the most powerful Muslim state for centuries, the Ottomans had an understandably lasting influence on the rest of the Islamic world, which of course, includes Malaysia.

An inappropriate laugh

In Hindu belief, Chandra is the moon god and he is often characterised as a handsome rogue, with an eye for women.

There is a myth which explains the ever-changing phases of the moon, and it mostly boils down to Chandra’s inability to hold his laughter.

The elephant-headed god, Ganesha, was once invited to a feast and given his voracious appetite, he gulped down many sweet treats.

Stuffed, Ganesha left the feast and on his way home, he accidentally fell onto the road, causing the treats to spill out of him.

Watching all of this was Chandra and he couldn’t help himself but laugh, much to the latter’s displeasure.

Enraged, Ganesha plucked one of his tusks and hurled it at Chandra, cursing him to never be whole again.

When Chandra began to waste away, Shiva, the destroyer god, asked Ganesha to show clemency, with Chandra personally apologising to Ganesha.

Ganesha, thus, reduced the curse’s severity, declaring that the Moon will only be completely shrouded in darkness once a month.

Despite this, the grudge somewhat remains. On Ganesha’s birthday, or Ganesh Chaturthi, celebrants are discouraged from looking at the Moon, lest they be struck by bad luck.