Our nearest neighbor in space has fascinated us since the earliest days of mankind, and in recent years the moon has become an object of intense study and scientific ambition. Illustrated with a wide array of photographs and period art—including paintings by Edvard Munch and Caspar David Friedrich—this visual and cultural history of the moon delves into how this satellite gave rise to ancient beliefs in deities like Artemis and such folk creations as the werewolf, as well as inspiring artists and musicians across the millennia. Here too is a history of the space race that culminated in Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon, with profiles of such figures as software trailblazer Margaret Hamilton and rocket engineer Sergei Korolev.