selene

Selene is the personification of the Moon in ancient Greek mythology. The name itself comes from the Greek selene, meaning “moon.” She is typically portrayed as a luminous goddess who drives a moonlit chariot across the night sky.

In traditional genealogy, Selene is the daughter of Hyperion and Theia, and the sister of Helios, the Sun, and Eos, the Dawn. She is often depicted riding a chariot drawn by two white horses and guiding the Moon’s passages through the heavens. Her influence centers on lunar light and cycles, and she is commonly invoked as a symbol of moonlight in poetry and art. In some sources she is credited as the mother of Pandia, a goddess associated with the full Moon, and in other tales she is famed for her romance with the mortal Endymion; Zeus granted Endymion eternal sleep so Selene could visit him each night.

In modern usage, the name Selene has permeated culture and science. The Japanese space agency’s SELENE mission, also known as Kaguya, stands for Selenological and Engineering Explorer and studied the Moon from 2007 to 2009. The term selenology—derived from Selene—refers to the study of the Moon. Beyond science, Selene appears in literature, film, and as a given name, continuing to symbolize lunar imagery and mythic resonance.