The Eye of Sauron? A Blurry Bagel? The Internet's Black Hole Memes Are Out of This World
The first picture of a black hole was released Wednesday, marking a giant feat for science — and, because this is the internet, paving the way for a slew of memes.
The photo — a blurry shot that shows a black hole at the center of the Messier 87 galaxy — quickly became meme fodder as people drew comparisons between the fiery orange circle and other famous round objects.
The Eye of Sauron, the flaming eye featured in The Lord of the Rings, immediately jumped to mind for many:
NSF: Amazing first photo of black hole! This changes everything!
Sauron: Mother? pic.twitter.com/4ML5ytcZuX— Sarah Parcak (@indyfromspace) April 10, 2019
Oh look a photo of a black hole.....wait a damn minute....middle earth ?!?! #BlackHole pic.twitter.com/TOXZlPrxJc
— Rick (@KickAssTakeNaps) April 10, 2019
The Eye of Sauron is apparently now hiding in the middle of space waiting patiently for his return. https://t.co/8AgLpWygPC
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) April 10, 2019
Adult Me: This further proves Einstein’s theory of gravity
13 yr old Me: [Speaking to Frodo in my Eye of Sauron voice] You cannot hide. I see you. There is no life in the void...only death. pic.twitter.com/3ShEO7pFw5— Martin Horne (@Martinhorne) April 10, 2019
Are you serious
it’s the friggin eye of sauron https://t.co/xatM6BWXRp— tea lizard (@nwquah) April 10, 2019
For some, the black hole picture served as a reminder to eat breakfast:
black hole pic legit made me crave a bagel, so thats where im headed
— k austin collins (@melvillmatic) April 10, 2019
This photo of the black hole is awesome, but wait... Enhance! Hmm, enhance! One more time, enhance! Whoa. The biggest Cinnamon Raisin Bagel in the world, and it's still hot! #EHT #EventHorizonTelescope pic.twitter.com/aPDVtLHF2u
— Gabor Heja (@gheja_) April 10, 2019
the black hole looks like a blurry bagel
— maya kosoff (@mekosoff) April 10, 2019
So a black hole is just a neon bagel? pic.twitter.com/LDOe1Lv3dX
— Carrie Rickey (@CarrieRickey) April 10, 2019
I am sure the spatial resolution of the #blackhole images will get better in future. pic.twitter.com/uN9lmN9fGe
— Fakhar Khalid (@FakharKhalid) April 10, 2019
Bagels and a famed eye from The Lord of the Rings are logical comparisons to a fuzzy picture of a black hole. But things soon took a turn for the wild:
I made this thinking it would be funny but now I'm on the verge of a panic attack pic.twitter.com/oF17MOOBvt
— Fred Delicious (@Fred_Delicious) April 10, 2019
wait... zoom out pic.twitter.com/D9gXZtjqY7
— Matt Buechele (@mattbooshell) April 10, 2019
I knew it. pic.twitter.com/szGs4e7rV8
— Ashley Mayer (@ashleymayer) April 10, 2019