The Man in the Moon is the supposed image of a man's face that some cultures believe to be visible on the surface of the moon. Most people agree that the face is only visible when the moon is full. The face is said to be formed by a series of dark areas imitating two eyes, a nose, and an open mouth. These areas are actually some of the Moon's seas, such as the Mare Imbrium and Serenitatis, which with people associate the Man in the Moon's eyes.

Legend goes that the Man in the Moon is an actual man. The oldest traditions claim the man to be Cain, who was sentenced to circle the Earth and watch forever what he could not have because of his betrayal. Other legends say the Man in the Moon is an old man hauling a bunch of sticks. Shakespeare mentions the Man in the Moon in A Midsummer Night's Dream and refers to him as the same old man. Even in ancient Rome and Egypt there were already legends explaining the face on the moon.

While most of the legends do not attribute a specific origin to the Man in the Moon, some societies have an esoteric explanation for the face. For example, the Inuits believe that the Man in the Moon keeps safe the souls of men and animals who have passed away. In a similar fashion, the Nepalese believe the Man in the Moon is actually the face of somebody who has passed away, as people who die go to the moon.

The Man in the Moon is not always seen as a man's, or even a human face. In some cultures, it is actually a woman or an animal. The most common figures include that of a rabbit or hare, a frog, or a buffalo. In modern times, people have identified plenty of images when looking at a full moon. Depending on their belief system and environment, people see a lot of different things on the moon surface. Unusual sightings include pirates, a man with glasses, a young girl, and a frog.