Have you ever observed the Moon? Are you curious about when ancient people first watched it? How does the Moon influence our lives? The Moon influences our lives more than we can imagine. Since ancient times, man has tried to observe and understand its mysterious and fascinating nature.
"Do you really believe the moon is not there when you are not looking at it?"
Albert Einstein
Man and Moon observation 
When we talk about observing the moon, we are certainly not referring to astronomers or scientists but everyday people. Farmers have always based their sowing activities on the Moon's phases, waiting for the waxing Moon to sow vegetables growing above ground and the waning Moon for those ever-increasing below-ground and head vegetables. And how can you tell if the moon is waxing or waning? If the rounded (or illuminated) part looks towards the West, then the moon is waxing, while the Moon is waning if it is towards the East. Of course, the explanation for all this does not lie in mere popular belief but on precise scientific grounds.
The Moon, Earth's only natural satellite 
The Moon is the only natural satellite of the Earth and, as such, has gravitational force on it, giving rise to the phenomenon of tides causing periodic sea-level changes. In addition, it does not shine with its light but reflects the sun's light. Even before landing on the Moon, man has always understood the importance of this celestial body. Always represented in antithesis to the sun, which symbolises light, the Moon is synonymous with night, the sun's death.
The Moon amongst ancient civilisations 
A source of inspiration for poets and artists, the Moon has been worshipped by no people on the globe since ancient times. Its cult is present in all civilisations, and there are about 1,000 names for this marvellous celestial body. For example, the moon cult was one of the most important religious manifestations among the Egyptians. Although marginal to the Sun, the Moon and its associated deities (Iah, Thot and Khonsu) were widely worshipped in Ancient Egypt. Apollo and Diana represented the Sun and the Moon in the classical world, respectively. In Greece, her cult was imported from the Near East, so Selene, the Moon as a woman, was also worshipped. For the Romans, the Moon, Selene, was the goddess of hunting. Selene identifies the full Moon, Artemis as the new Moon and, finally, Hecate as the waning Moon. Throughout the ancient world, numerous temples of all sizes were built in her honour, including the temple of the Goddess Caelestis in Carthage and the temple of Diana in Rome, on the Aventine Hill.