The first man looked up and saw a star in the sky.

Now we know stars are enormous celestial bodies, far, far from Earth. Astronomers study them, and cosmonauts dream of traveling to them. But that man knew none of this. One thing was clear: it was very, very far away.

And exquisite. It seemed as if they, too, were looking down on us and understanding human affairs. They can help, protect, and comfort if asked correctly. Or they can punish.

Throughout history, humanity has spoken to the stars. People tell legends about them, try to use them to explain the world, express their fears and hopes, call upon them for protection, use them as a brand or a reward.