The moon has been known to humanity since ancient times, and its discovery cannot be attributed to a single individual or event. The moon is visible to the naked eye and has been observed and studied by people throughout history.
Early civilizations, such as the Sumerians, Babylonians, and ancient Egyptians, were aware of the moon's existence and recognized its regular cycles. They developed calendars based on the moon's phases to track time and determine important agricultural and religious events.
In terms of recorded history, the ancient Greek philosopher Anaxagoras (5th century BCE) is often credited with being one of the first individuals to propose a scientific explanation for the moon's nature. He suggested that the moon was a celestial object that reflected sunlight, much like Earth, and he reasoned that it was not a deity as some earlier cultures believed.
The development of telescopes in the early 17th century revolutionized our understanding of the moon. Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer, was among the first to observe the moon through a telescope in 1609. He made detailed observations of its surface, including craters, mountains, and valleys. Galileo's observations challenged the prevailing belief that the moon was a perfect, smooth sphere and instead revealed it to be a rugged, rocky body.
Since then, numerous astronomers and scientists have contributed to our understanding of the moon through continued observations, space missions, and scientific research. Notable examples include Johannes Kepler, who refined our understanding of the moon's motion around the Earth in the 17th century, and the Apollo missions of the late 1960s and early 1970s, which allowed humans to physically visit the moon and collect samples for study.
In summary, the moon's discovery is a result of a collective effort spanning centuries, with early civilizations recognizing its existence and philosophers like Anaxagoras proposing scientific explanations. Advancements in telescopes and space exploration further deepened our understanding of the moon's features and composition.