Ask AI: Where did the moon come from according to ancient civilizations?

Different ancient civilizations had varying beliefs and myths about the origin of the moon: 1. Ancient Greeks: The Ancient Greeks believed that the moon was a god named Selene, the Titan goddess of the moon who was the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. The moon was thought to be a chariot driven by Selene across the night sky. 2. Ancient Chinese Mythology: The ancient Chinese believed in a moon goddess named Chang'e who stole an elixir of immortality and flew to the moon where she resides as a celestial being. 3. Ancient Egyptians: The Ancient Egyptians believed that the moon was a god named Thoth, and was seen as the god of wisdom, writing, hieroglyphs, science, magic, and the judge of disputes between good and evil. 4. Ancient Mayans: The Mayans believed that the moon was a goddess who was the consort of the sun. They referred to her as Ix Chel, and she was often depicted with a rabbit (which explains the 'rabbit in the moon' belief held by some other cultures too). 5. Ancient Hindu Mythology: According to ancient Hindu mythology, the moon was created during 'Samudra Manthan' when the Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons) churned the ocean. The moon is considered a god and is known as Chandra. Remember, these are just myths and legends from various old civilizations and not scientific explanations of the moon's origin. Scientists believe that the moon was formed about 4.5 billion years ago when a Mars-sized body collided with Earth, ejecting a huge amount of debris into space which eventually formed into the moon we know today.