The sky often has important religious significance. Many religions, both polytheistic and monotheistic, have deities associated with the sky.
The daylit sky deities are typically distinct from the night-time sky (or "heaven of the stars") deities. Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature reflects this by separating the category of "Sky-god" (A210) from that of "Star-god" (A250).
Daytime-gods and Nighttime-gods may also be deities of an "upper world" (or "celestial world"), opposed to a "netherworld" (or "chthonic realm") ruled by other gods (for example, Sky-gods Zeus and Hera rule the celestial realm in ancient Greece, while the chthonic realm is ruled by Hades and Persephone), or of an upper world and netherworld respectively.
Any masculine sky god is often also king of the gods, taking the position of patriarch within a pantheon. Such king gods are collectively categorised as "Sky father" deities, with a polarity between sky and earth often being expressed by pairing a "Sky father" god with an "Earth mother" goddess (pairings of a Sky mother with an Earth father are less frequent). A main sky goddess is often the "queen" ("of heaven", for example).
Gods may rule the sky as a pair (for example, ancient Semitic [supreme] god El and the sky goddess Asherah whom he was most likely paired with).
The following is a list of sky deities in various polytheistic traditions, by ethno-linguistic or geographic grouping.
Dyeus, the chief sky father of the Proto-Indo-European religion
Amun, god of creation and the wind
Anhur, originally a foreign war god who became associated with the air god, Shu
Hathor, goddess of the sky, love, beauty and music
Horus, god of the sun, sky, kings and war
Mehet-Weret, goddess of the sky
Nut, goddess of the sky
Shu, god of the wind and air
An, goddess of the sky
Anshar, god of the sky
Anu, king of the gods, associated with the sky, heaven and constellations
Beelshamen, god of the sky
Enlil, god of breath, wind, loft, and breadth
Hadad
El (god)
Baalshamin "Lord of the Heavens" (c.f. Armenian Barsamin)
Yahweh may in origin have been a Canaanite (Moabite) storm or weather god (see Mesha Stele), but from an early time conflated with Ugaritic El and Jebusite Sedeq.
Hepit, goddess of the sky
Teshub, god of the sky and storms
Baltic
Debesu tēvs, the god of the day-lit sky and the chief god of the Latvian pantheon.
Latobius, sky and mountain god equated with the Greek gods Zeus and Ares
Taranis, sky and thunder god, equated and syncretized with Jupiter
Brigid, goddess of weather, hearth, water, poetry and crafts equated with the Greek goddesses Athena and Hestia
Nuada, god of the sky, wind, and war
Teiwaz, early Germanic sky god
Þunraz, god of thunder
Sōwilō, the sun
Mēnô, the moon
Aether, primeval god of the upper air
Iris, goddess of the rainbow and divine messenger
Nephele, cloud nymph
Uranus, primeval god of the sky
Zeus, king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky, weather, thunderstorms, law, order and fate
Caelus, personification of the sky, equivalent to the Greek Uranus
Jupiter, king of heaven and god of the sky and weather, equivalent to the Greek Zeus
Tempestas, goddess of storms or sudden weather
Stribog, god of the winds, sky and air
Triglav, a triple god whose three heads represent sky, earth and underworld
Sabazios, sky father
Ani, god of the sky
Tinia, god of the sky
Ilmarinen, godlike smith-hero and creator of sky. Associated with Ukko by some researchers.
Ilmatar, virgin spirit of the air.
Ukko, supreme god of sky, weather, thunder, crops (harvest) and other natural things.
Perkele, associated with Ukko by some researchers. A name for Devil in Finnish.
Horagalles, Sami god of the sky, thunder and lightning, the rainbow, weather, oceans, lakes, human life, health and well-being.
Mano, Sami goddess of the moon.
Tengri, god of the sky
Bai-Ulgan
Kayra
Inmar, god of the heavens
Aditi, the celestial mother of the gods
Dyaus Pita, sky father
Indra, king of the gods, associated with weather
Saranyu, goddess of clouds
Ushas goddess of dawn
Ratri goddess of night
Yu Huang Dadi - Jade Emperor (Centre)
Ziwei Dadi - Polestar Emperor (North)
Changsheng Dadi - Longevity Emperor (South)
Qinghua Dadi - Azure-Illustrious Emperor (East)
Taiji Tianhuang Dadi - Ultimate Heaven Emperor(West)
Shang Di, the Celestial Emperor.
Zhinü, the weaver of the clouds
Twenty Four Sky Emperors (Tiandi 天帝)
Six Tiandi of the North
1. Bìfàn Xuánwú Tiandi
2. Bìkōng Zhēnjì Tiandi
3. Bìluó Yuánshǐ Tiandi
4. Bìgě Chéngkāi Tiandi
5. Bìyàn Zhūjǐng Tiandi
6. Bìhóng Xūkuàng Tiandi
Six Tiandi of the South
7. Bìzhēn Dòngyáng Tiandi
8. Bìyáo Jiànggōng Tiandi
9. Bìxiá Míngsù Tiandi
10. Bìwú Yàodòng Tiandi
11. Bìyùn Shǐtú Tiandi
12. Bìhào Zhēngxū Tiandi
Six Tiandi of the West
13. Bìshén Zhàozhì Tiandi
14. Bìchōng Zǐyào Tiandi
15. Bìgě Fànkōng Tiandi
16. Bìdòng Xiáyáng Tiandi
17. Bìhuá Kāilì Tiandi
18. Bìfàn Míngyáo Tiandi
Six Tiandi of the North
19. Bìguāng Hánhuá Tiandi
20. Bìyè Zhùyán Tiandi
21. Bìdān Huáqì Tiandi
22. Bìkuò Címíng Tiandi
23. Bìlà Gēyīn Tiandi
24. Bìxū Níngyáng Tiandi
Twenty Eight Sky Emperors (Tiandi 天帝)
Seven Tiandi of the East
1. Tàimíng Hùzhēn Tiandi
2. Juéfàn Tàilíng Tiandi
3. Húyuè Cuìxiù Tiandi
4. Zǐdān Míngchǔ Tiandi
5. Dòngxiá Yùzhēn Tiandi
6. Kōngxuán Lìshǔ Tiandi
7. Qiáotōng Zhūpǔ Tiandi
Seven Tiandi of the South
8. Yányú Zhēngshǐ Tiandi
9. Jīngwéi Xiāomíng Tiandi
10. Qìngfú Zīshàn Tiandi
11. Suíwén Xīdù Tiandi
12. Chángjī Lèwán Tiandi
13. Qíhuá Bùróng Tiandi
14. Gāolíng Dàiwú Tiandi
Seven Tiandi of the West
15. Zhōuyú Píngwú Tiandi
16. Jǐngyán Tàizhēn Tiandi
17. Lǜjǐng Shǔchén Tiandi
18. Niúluó Pǔshì Tiandi
19. Dìngliáng Huìzōng Tiandi
20. Zhàolíng Sūjì Tiandi
21. Jiǔwēi Dònghuáng Tiandi
Seven Tiandi of the North
22. Dìshū Guāngjìng Tiandi
23. Zǐyí Jìhuā Tiandi
24. Zhìdìng Yǔnlǐ Tiandi
25. Guāngfàn Jiùzhì Tiandi
26. Hǔ口 Zhēngbù Tiandi
27. Bàyān Wúyuán Tiandi
28. Dàomíng Húnxìng Tiandi
Thirty Two Sky Emperors (Tiandi 天帝)
Eight Tiandi of the East
1. Tàihuáng Huángzēng Tiandi
2. Tàimíng Yùwán Tiandi
3. Qīngmíng Hétóng Tiandi
4. Xuántāi Píngyù Tiandi
5. Yuánmíng Wénjǔ Tiandi
6. Qīyào Móyí Tiandi
7. Xūwú Yuèhéng Tiandi
8. Tàijí Méngyì Tiandi
Eight Tiandi of the South
9. Chìmíng Héyáng Tiandi
10. Xuánmíng Gōnghuá Tiandi
11. Yàomíng Zōngpiāo Tiandi
12. Zhúlà Huángjiā Tiandi
13. Xūmíng Tángyào Tiandi
14. Guànmíng Duānjìng Tiandi
15. Xuánmíng Gōngqìng Tiandi
16. Tàihuàn Jíyáo Tiandi
Eight Tiandi of the West
17. Yuánzǎi Kǒngshēng Tiandi
18. Tàiān Huángyá Tiandi
19. Xiǎndìng Jífēng Tiandi
20. Shǐhuáng Xiàománg Tiandi
21. Tàihuáng Wēngchóng Tiandi
22. Wúsī Jiāngyóu Tiandi
23. Shǎngshé Ruǎnlè Tiandi
24. Wújí Tánshì Tiandi
Eight Tiandi of the North
25. Hàotíng Xiāodù Tiandi
26. Yuāntōng Yuándòng Tiandi
27. Hànchǒng Miàochéng Tiandi
28. Xiùlè Jīnshǎng Tiandi
29. Wúshàng Chángróng Tiandi
30. Yùlóng Téngshèng Tiandi
31. Lóngbiàn Fàndù Tiandi
32.Píngyù Jiǎyì Tiandi
Sixty Four Sky Emperors (Tiandi 天帝)
Sixteen Tiandi of the East
1. Wǎnkōng Míngfàn Tiandi
2. Zǐyuán Bàwú Tiandi
3. Yānjǐng Yùxū Tiandi
4. Chōngzhēng Dòngjí Tiandi
5. Míngbiàn Yuánhuáng Tiandi
6. Lǐchóng Yuānxū Tiandi
7. Jiàozhēn Quánzhòng Tiandi
8. Qīngwēi Huángyǔ Tiandi
9. Jiùmíng wàngshì Tiandi
10. Yuèfǔ Wènshí Tiandi
11. Qìlíng Zhāopǔ Tiandi
12. Xuánxū Guāngfàn Tiandi
13. Shǎngjí Sìzhǒng Tiandi
14. Yìhuā Zhēngzhèn Tiandi
15. Gūshì Bāfàn Tiandi
16. Jiǔyán Yùdìng Tiandi
Sixteen Tiandi of the South
17. Dānmó Yìhuā Tiandi
18. Dòujiàn Xūyú Tiandi
19. Dìguāng Wújì Tiandi
20. Zhūlíng Yàoguāng Tiandi
21. Zǐjǐng Duànbái Tiandi
22. Jiàngxiān Táiyuán Tiandi
23. Shuǎngzhì Xièshēn Tiandi
24. Yùjiāng Sīchán Tiandi
25. Gūhóu Lìzhēn Tiandi
26. Gǔxuán Dàoyòng Tiandi
27. Lǐbù Míngwēi Tiandi
28. Shénlú Chāngyìng Tiandi
29. Dùzhēng Kèzōng Tiandi
30. Dàhuǒ Chìyī Tiandi
31. Qīngdì Dòngyáo Tiandi
32. Xuánchéng Bǎihuā Tiandi
Sixteen Tiandi of the West
33. Jīnlí Guāngqǐ Tiandi
34. Jíhuáng Xuányùn Tiandi
35. Zhōuyán Jìngpíng Tiandi
36. Bǎosòng Róngzī Tiandi
37. Qìngzhēn Měiyuán Tiandi
38. Zhàiwú Shénsì Tiandi
39. Gāojiàng Zhìhuá Tiandi
40. Dàoqī Yánjì Tiandi
41. Tónglì Dàochú Tiandi
42. Dǐngshén Huàwēi Tiandi
43. Tàiān Shùnjí Tiandi
44. Qióngxī Yàoxiān Tiandi
45. Zǐdū Yuèguǎng Tiandi
46. Cuīkāng Jiéshí Tiandi
47. Jìngbì Làmáng Tiandi
48. Pǔhǎi Dòngjī Tiandi
Sixteen Tiandi of the North
49. Yúsì Tǒngzhēn Tiandi
50. Hǔjiā Pīfāng Tiandi
51. Qiúyuān Làyú Tiandi
52. Jīnbái Zhēngjì Tiandi
53. Huánglì Kǒngxiū Tiandi
54. Yáoshū Jīnglíng Tiandi
55. Shényín Xiāodū Tiandi
56. Qìngzhāo Yuèfú Tiandi
57. Chēnmíng Chúkǔ Tiandi
58. Fēngxìn Kǎofú Tiandi
59. Zhèngrù Bàobù Tiandi
60. Gěnglěi Lìquán Tiandi
61. Guǐchǔ Shǐlè Tiandi
62. Língfù Hǎilún Tiandi
63. Shǎngjí Xiāotán Tiandi
64. Bìcháng Dòngyuán Tiandi
Izanagi, creator of the world and sky father
Marici, goddess of the heavens
Phaya Thaen (Thai: พญาแถน,) the sky personified with a rank equivalent to marquess (Thai Phraya,) the protagonist in a Rocket Festival
Anguta, sky father and psychopomp
Ataksak, goddess of the sky
Negafook, god of weather systems
Torngarsuk, god of the sky
Yaya, supreme God/Spirit in Taíno mythology.
Citlalincue, goddess of the Milky Way
Cipactonal, god of the daytime
Oxomoco, goddess of nighttime
Centzonmimixcoa, 400 gods of the northern stars
Centzonhuitznahua, 400 gods of the southern stars
Coyolxauhqui, goddess of moon
Meztli, goddess of moon
Tonatiuh, god of sun
Tianquiztli, star goddesses (see the Pleiades)
Citlaltonac, god of male stars
Citlalmina, goddess of female stars
Citlaxonecuilli, goddess of the Ursa Major
Eototo, Hopi head Kachina and sky father.
Virococha, Sky god.
Cabaguil, god of the sky
Hunab Ku, Sky father
Tzacol, sky god and creator deity
Atahensic, Iroquois sky goddess who fell to Earth at the time of creation
Achamán, Guanche creator and sky god
Achuhucanac, Guanche rain god, associated with the sky god Achamán
Badessy, Vodou loa associated with the sky
Denka, Dinka god of sky, rain and fertility
Khonvoum, supreme creator god and sky father of Mbuti Pygmies
Mulungu, Nyamwezi creator and sky god
Numakulla, a pair of creator and sky gods
Olorun, supreme deity, god of the sky, and heaven
Shango, Yoruba sky father and thunder god
Umvelinqangi, Zulu sky god
Utixo, Khoikhoi sky god
Xamaba, creator and sky god of the Heikum of South Africa
Altjira, Arrernte creator and sky god
Baiame, south-east Australian creator and sky god
Binbeal, god of rainbows
Bunjil, Kulin creator and sky god
Māori/Aotearoa/New Zealand
Ao, god of light and the sky
Ranginui, sky father
Tane-rore, personification of shimmering air
Tāwhirimātea, god of weather, including thunder and lightning, wind, clouds and storms
Uenuku, god of rainbows
Pacific Islands
Abeguwo, Melanesian sky goddess
Amai-te-rangi, sky demon of Mangaia
Atua I Kafika, supreme sky god of Polynesia
Ira, Polynesian sky goddess
Laufakana'a, Tongan creator god and sky father
Tangaloa, Tongan sky god
