NASA blew a little hole inside of a hole that was already on the moon to satisfy some scientific questions. Whether or not you are one of those upset by this invasive search for answers, one cannot help but be saddened when something so fraught with mysticism and spiritual weight proves as violate as cheesecloth. In honor of the moon’s wounds, here is an overview of some myths about the moon.

We have all heard and seen the Man in the Moon, and everyone has heard the one about how the moon is made of cheese, and most of us have at least heard the term Harvest Moon, if only because of Neil Young. This last term, Harvest Moon, comes from the Native American Algonquin tribes, for the time of year when crops could be harvested by the light of the moon because of its brightness. They have bestowed special monikers for the full moon each month of the year.

In Abomey, Africa, the moon is a mother goddess called Mawu who brings night, joy peace and coolness. Hindus have Soma, the god of the moon who rides a white horse-drawn chariot through the night sky, providing longevity and in some cases immortality upon his favorites.

In Greek mythology, Apollo and Artemis were twins; Apollo the god of the sun, Artemis the goddess of the moon. The Roman counterpart of Artemis is Diana, both bring the promise of a fresh start and strength in independence.

Japan’s oldest religion, Shinto, names Tsuki-Yomi the moon god. He also had a twin goddess sister. The story goes that she got him invited to dinner with an acolyte of the food goddess who disgusted Tsuki-Yomi by producing the food out of her nostrils, so, offended, he murdered his hostess, which in turn offended his twin sister. His twin sister vowed never to see him again and they parted ways, she to become the sun, he the moon.

The moon plays a huge role in the stories of vampires and werewolves, in romance and births both real and fictional. It influences the tides and patterns in human behavior. The moon has been rhapsodized, looked upon in awe and admiration. It is a harbinger of seasons, of fertility, of joy, luck, and pain. It speaks to us with its silvery rays. And even though the moon might be bleeding, she won’t be leaving her orbit anytime soon. As George Carlin once said, “There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.”