Small 'planet' Pluto rides large on world wide web's meme machine

The internet’s dwarf planet-watchers gaze into Pluto’s newly revealed landscape and see everything from the Death Star to a Wrecking Ball

It took Nasa’s New Horizons probe nine years to reach Pluto and complete its historic flyby, but it only took the internet about nine minutes to transform the incredible new image into a canvas for pop culture fun.

With anticipation for the new Star Wars film reaching astronomical heights, it’s no surprise that George Lucas’s world was pulled into our own solar system. The threat from Death Star Pluto remains low for now, but let’s just hope it hasn’t received news of its planetary downgrade.

Of course, another obvious treatment of Pluto was ... Pluto. The stars were smiling on Disney when it turned out the surface of the dwarf planet had features – and even color – to match the beloved cartoon canine.

Not wanting to be left out of the fun, Peanuts gave Pluto a similar treatment, taking Snoopy out of the doghouse and putting him in outer space. Talk about Joe Cool.

In other animal explorers, Nyan Cat, who has been flying through space since 2011, seems to have reached Pluto in about half the time as New Horizons. The pastry-cat hybrid made its own flyby yesterday, fueled by Pop Tarts and J-pop, but don’t expect it to stop there.

Speaking of things that can’t be stopped – or tamed – Miley Cyrus crashed into the best Pluto memes like a wrecking ball. While she was just being Miley on Pluto, it was no doubt a party in the USA at Nasa’s mission control.

Not to be outdone, Donald Trump made an appearance on Pluto as well. The billionaire-turned-presidential candidate is probably planning a new luxury resort, golf course and heliport on the “planet” as we speak.

And then – of course – there’s Kim Kardashian. The queen of memes. Nowhere in the solar system is safe.

The internet was thrilled to see what looks like a heart on Pluto’s surface, but this gif of the flyby shows one artist’s interpretation of poor Pluto as it was once again left out in the cold.

Don’t worry, Pluto, we love you. Turning you into a meme is just our earthly way of showing it.

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