Nut /ˈnʊt/ (Ancient Egyptian: Nwt, Coptic: Ⲛⲉ), also known by various other transcriptions, is the goddess of the sky, stars, cosmos, mothers, astronomy, and the universe in the ancient Egyptian religion. She was seen as a star-covered nude woman arching over the Earth, or as a cow. She was depicted wearing the water-pot sign (nw) that identifies her. Nut is comparable to the Mesopotamian goddess Ninhursag (the "lady of heaven") also sharing her role as mother of the gods.