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 religionAmun, god of creation and the windAnhur, originally a foreign war god who became associated with the air god, ShuHathor, goddess of the sky, love, beauty and musicHorus, god of the sun, sky, kings and warMehet-Weret, goddess of the skyNut, goddess of the skyShu, god of the wind and airAn, goddess of the skyAnshar, god of the skyAnu, king of the gods, associated with the sky, heaven and constellationsBeelshamen, god of the skyEnlil, god of breath, wind, loft, and breadthHadadEl (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 skyTeshub, god of the sky and stormsBaltic
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 AresTaranis, sky and thunder god, equated and syncretized with JupiterBrigid, goddess of weather, hearth, water, poetry and crafts equated with the Greek goddesses Athena and HestiaNuada, god of the sky, wind, and warTeiwaz, early Germanic sky godÞunraz, god of thunderSōwilō, the sunMēnô, the moonAether, primeval god of the upper airIris, goddess of the rainbow and divine messengerNephele, cloud nymphUranus, primeval god of the skyZeus, king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky, weather, thunderstorms, law, order and fateCaelus, personification of the sky, equivalent to the Greek UranusJupiter, king of heaven and god of the sky and weather, equivalent to the Greek ZeusTempestas, goddess of storms or sudden weatherStribog, god of the winds, sky and airTriglav, a triple god whose three heads represent sky, earth and underworldSabazios, sky fatherAni, god of the skyTinia, god of the skyIlmarinen, 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 skyBai-UlganKayraInmar, god of the heavensAditi, the celestial mother of the godsDyaus Pita, sky fatherIndra, king of the gods, associated with weatherSaranyu, goddess of cloudsUshas goddess of dawnRatri goddess of nightYu 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 cloudsTwenty Four Sky Emperors (Tiandi 天帝)
Six Tiandi of the North1. Bìfàn Xuánwú Tiandi2. Bìkōng Zhēnjì Tiandi3. Bìluó Yuánshǐ Tiandi4. Bìgě Chéngkāi Tiandi5. Bìyàn Zhūjǐng Tiandi6. Bìhóng Xūkuàng TiandiSix Tiandi of the South7. Bìzhēn Dòngyáng Tiandi8. Bìyáo Jiànggōng Tiandi9. Bìxiá Míngsù Tiandi10. Bìwú Yàodòng Tiandi11. Bìyùn Shǐtú Tiandi12. Bìhào Zhēngxū TiandiSix Tiandi of the West13. Bìshén Zhàozhì Tiandi14. Bìchōng Zǐyào Tiandi15. Bìgě Fànkōng Tiandi16. Bìdòng Xiáyáng Tiandi17. Bìhuá Kāilì Tiandi18. Bìfàn Míngyáo TiandiSix Tiandi of the North19. Bìguāng Hánhuá Tiandi20. Bìyè Zhùyán Tiandi21. Bìdān Huáqì Tiandi22. Bìkuò Címíng Tiandi23. Bìlà Gēyīn Tiandi24. Bìxū Níngyáng TiandiTwenty Eight Sky Emperors (Tiandi 天帝)
Seven Tiandi of the East1. Tàimíng Hùzhēn Tiandi2. Juéfàn Tàilíng Tiandi3. Húyuè Cuìxiù Tiandi4. Zǐdān Míngchǔ Tiandi5. Dòngxiá Yùzhēn Tiandi6. Kōngxuán Lìshǔ Tiandi7. Qiáotōng Zhūpǔ TiandiSeven Tiandi of the South8. Yányú Zhēngshǐ Tiandi9. Jīngwéi Xiāomíng Tiandi10. Qìngfú Zīshàn Tiandi11. Suíwén Xīdù Tiandi12. Chángjī Lèwán Tiandi13. Qíhuá Bùróng Tiandi14. Gāolíng Dàiwú TiandiSeven Tiandi of the West15. Zhōuyú Píngwú Tiandi16. Jǐngyán Tàizhēn Tiandi17. Lǜjǐng Shǔchén Tiandi18. Niúluó Pǔshì Tiandi19. Dìngliáng Huìzōng Tiandi20. Zhàolíng Sūjì Tiandi21. Jiǔwēi Dònghuáng TiandiSeven Tiandi of the North22. Dìshū Guāngjìng Tiandi23. Zǐyí Jìhuā Tiandi24. Zhìdìng Yǔnlǐ Tiandi25. Guāngfàn Jiùzhì Tiandi26. Hǔ口 Zhēngbù Tiandi27. Bàyān Wúyuán Tiandi28. Dàomíng Húnxìng TiandiThirty Two Sky Emperors (Tiandi 天帝)
Eight Tiandi of the East1. Tàihuáng Huángzēng Tiandi2. Tàimíng Yùwán Tiandi3. Qīngmíng Hétóng Tiandi4. Xuántāi Píngyù Tiandi5. Yuánmíng Wénjǔ Tiandi6. Qīyào Móyí Tiandi7. Xūwú Yuèhéng Tiandi8. Tàijí Méngyì TiandiEight Tiandi of the South9. Chìmíng Héyáng Tiandi10. Xuánmíng Gōnghuá Tiandi11. Yàomíng Zōngpiāo Tiandi12. Zhúlà Huángjiā Tiandi13. Xūmíng Tángyào Tiandi14. Guànmíng Duānjìng Tiandi15. Xuánmíng Gōngqìng Tiandi16. Tàihuàn Jíyáo TiandiEight Tiandi of the West17. Yuánzǎi Kǒngshēng Tiandi18. Tàiān Huángyá Tiandi19. Xiǎndìng Jífēng Tiandi20. Shǐhuáng Xiàománg Tiandi21. Tàihuáng Wēngchóng Tiandi22. Wúsī Jiāngyóu Tiandi23. Shǎngshé Ruǎnlè Tiandi24. Wújí Tánshì TiandiEight Tiandi of the North25. Hàotíng Xiāodù Tiandi26. Yuāntōng Yuándòng Tiandi27. Hànchǒng Miàochéng Tiandi28. Xiùlè Jīnshǎng Tiandi29. Wúshàng Chángróng Tiandi30. Yùlóng Téngshèng Tiandi31. Lóngbiàn Fàndù Tiandi32.Píngyù Jiǎyì TiandiSixty Four Sky Emperors (Tiandi 天帝)
Sixteen Tiandi of the East1. Wǎnkōng Míngfàn Tiandi2. Zǐyuán Bàwú Tiandi3. Yānjǐng Yùxū Tiandi4. Chōngzhēng Dòngjí Tiandi5. Míngbiàn Yuánhuáng Tiandi6. Lǐchóng Yuānxū Tiandi7. Jiàozhēn Quánzhòng Tiandi8. Qīngwēi Huángyǔ Tiandi9. Jiùmíng wàngshì Tiandi10. Yuèfǔ Wènshí Tiandi11. Qìlíng Zhāopǔ Tiandi12. Xuánxū Guāngfàn Tiandi13. Shǎngjí Sìzhǒng Tiandi14. Yìhuā Zhēngzhèn Tiandi15. Gūshì Bāfàn Tiandi16. Jiǔyán Yùdìng TiandiSixteen Tiandi of the South17. Dānmó Yìhuā Tiandi18. Dòujiàn Xūyú Tiandi19. Dìguāng Wújì Tiandi20. Zhūlíng Yàoguāng Tiandi21. Zǐjǐng Duànbái Tiandi22. Jiàngxiān Táiyuán Tiandi23. Shuǎngzhì Xièshēn Tiandi24. Yùjiāng Sīchán Tiandi25. Gūhóu Lìzhēn Tiandi26. Gǔxuán Dàoyòng Tiandi27. Lǐbù Míngwēi Tiandi28. Shénlú Chāngyìng Tiandi29. Dùzhēng Kèzōng Tiandi30. Dàhuǒ Chìyī Tiandi31. Qīngdì Dòngyáo Tiandi32. Xuánchéng Bǎihuā TiandiSixteen Tiandi of the West33. Jīnlí Guāngqǐ Tiandi34. Jíhuáng Xuányùn Tiandi35. Zhōuyán Jìngpíng Tiandi36. Bǎosòng Róngzī Tiandi37. Qìngzhēn Měiyuán Tiandi38. Zhàiwú Shénsì Tiandi39. Gāojiàng Zhìhuá Tiandi40. Dàoqī Yánjì Tiandi41. Tónglì Dàochú Tiandi42. Dǐngshén Huàwēi Tiandi43. Tàiān Shùnjí Tiandi44. Qióngxī Yàoxiān Tiandi45. Zǐdū Yuèguǎng Tiandi46. Cuīkāng Jiéshí Tiandi47. Jìngbì Làmáng Tiandi48. Pǔhǎi Dòngjī TiandiSixteen Tiandi of the North49. Yúsì Tǒngzhēn Tiandi50. Hǔjiā Pīfāng Tiandi51. Qiúyuān Làyú Tiandi52. Jīnbái Zhēngjì Tiandi53. Huánglì Kǒngxiū Tiandi54. Yáoshū Jīnglíng Tiandi55. Shényín Xiāodū Tiandi56. Qìngzhāo Yuèfú Tiandi57. Chēnmíng Chúkǔ Tiandi58. Fēngxìn Kǎofú Tiandi59. Zhèngrù Bàobù Tiandi60. Gěnglěi Lìquán Tiandi61. Guǐchǔ Shǐlè Tiandi62. Língfù Hǎilún Tiandi63. Shǎngjí Xiāotán Tiandi64. Bìcháng Dòngyuán TiandiIzanagi, creator of the world and sky fatherMarici, goddess of the heavensPhaya Thaen (Thai: พญาแถน,) the sky personified with a rank equivalent to marquess (Thai Phraya,) the protagonist in a Rocket FestivalAnguta, sky father and psychopompAtaksak, goddess of the skyNegafook, god of weather systemsTorngarsuk, god of the skyYaya, supreme God/Spirit in Taíno mythology.Citlalincue, goddess of the Milky WayCipactonal, god of the daytimeOxomoco, goddess of nighttimeCentzonmimixcoa, 400 gods of the northern starsCentzonhuitznahua, 400 gods of the southern starsCoyolxauhqui, goddess of moonMeztli, goddess of moonTonatiuh, god of sunTianquiztli, star goddesses (see the Pleiades)Citlaltonac, god of male starsCitlalmina, goddess of female starsCitlaxonecuilli, goddess of the Ursa MajorEototo, Hopi head Kachina and sky father.Virococha, Sky god.Cabaguil, god of the skyHunab Ku, Sky fatherTzacol, sky god and creator deityAtahensic, Iroquois sky goddess who fell to Earth at the time of creationAchamán, Guanche creator and sky godAchuhucanac, Guanche rain god, associated with the sky god AchamánBadessy, Vodou loa associated with the skyDenka, Dinka god of sky, rain and fertilityKhonvoum, supreme creator god and sky father of Mbuti PygmiesMulungu, Nyamwezi creator and sky godNumakulla, a pair of creator and sky godsOlorun, supreme deity, god of the sky, and heavenShango, Yoruba sky father and thunder godUmvelinqangi, Zulu sky godUtixo, Khoikhoi sky godXamaba, creator and sky god of the Heikum of South AfricaAltjira, Arrernte creator and sky godBaiame, south-east Australian creator and sky godBinbeal, god of rainbowsBunjil, Kulin creator and sky godMāori/Aotearoa/New Zealand
Ao, god of light and the skyRanginui, sky fatherTane-rore, personification of shimmering airTāwhirimātea, god of weather, including thunder and lightning, wind, clouds and stormsUenuku, god of rainbowsPacific Islands
Abeguwo, Melanesian sky goddessAmai-te-rangi, sky demon of MangaiaAtua I Kafika, supreme sky god of PolynesiaIra, Polynesian sky goddessLaufakana'a, Tongan creator god and sky fatherTangaloa, Tongan sky god
