Chandra

Howling at the Moon in Mississauga

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The Moon God Chandra (possibly) in His Chariot with Wife and Attendant, 2nd-1st century BCE, Shunga period, West Bengal

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Chandra deva

Chandra is a term with multiple meanings and significant cultural, religious, and scientific connotations. In the context of Hindu mythology, Chandra is a lunar deity and is also known as Soma. He is one of the Navagrahas or nine planets in Hindu astrology and is considered to be a benefic planet. Chandra is often depicted riding a chariot across the sky and is associated with the night, plants, and vegetation. The deity's importance extends to Buddhism and Jainism, where Chandra is revered in various forms and contexts.

In astronomy, Chandra refers to the Moon, Earth's only natural satellite. The Moon plays a crucial role in Earth's tides and has been the subject of human observation and exploration for millennia. The Apollo missions in the late 20th century marked the first human landings on the Moon, significantly advancing our understanding of lunar geology and the origins of the Solar System.

The name Chandra is also associated with the Chandra X-ray Observatory, a space telescope launched by NASA in 1999. Named after the Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, the observatory is designed to detect X-ray emission from very hot regions of the universe such as exploded stars, clusters of galaxies, and matter around black holes. The Chandra X-ray Observatory has been instrumental in exploring the high-energy universe and providing insights into the structure and evolution of the cosmos.

In Culture

Chandra's influence extends beyond religious and scientific realms into culture. The Moon has been a central theme in various forms of art, literature, and music across the world. In many cultures, the lunar phases symbolize change, renewal, and the passage of time. Festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Festival in China and Tsukimi in Japan celebrate the beauty and significance of the Moon in human life.

See Also

• Lunar deity
• Moon in culture
• Space exploration
• Hindu deities
• Astrophysics