Pop Culture

Photograph of Lowell Observatory's Archivist, Lauren Amundson (pictured on the right), with Pluto the dog at Disneyland.

Photograph of Clyde Tombaugh's daughter, Annette, enjoying a Pluto Roll at Karma Sushi in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Since its discovery in 1930, Pluto has become ingrained in American popular culture. One of the most apparent tributes to Pluto in American media is Disney's beloved pup of the same name. Disney first introduced Pluto the cartoon dog as "Rover" in a 1930 film titled The Picnic. His name was later changed to "Pluto" in the 1931 film The Moose Hunt. Disney animators are unsure why Walt Disney changed the dog's name, but many have theorized that he did so to capitalize on the popularity of the recently discovered planet. Because of this, many viewers have come to associate the planet with Mickey Mouse's loveable pooch.

Many Americans, especially those in Arizona, also feel a sense of ownership and affection towards the small planet. Residents of Flagstaff, Arizona celebrate the "I Heart Pluto" festival every February around the anniversary of Clyde Tombaugh's discovery. Lowell Observatory hosts several events during this time to keep the history of Pluto's connection to Flagstaff alive. Local establishments also participate in the festivities, including Karma Sushi which used to be the Black Cat Café where Clyde regularly dined. Above is a picture of Clyde's daughter, Annette, enjoying the Pluto Roll at Karma Sushi during the "I Heart Pluto" festival. 

Screenshot of a scene from the 1987 film Spaceballs directed by Mel Brooks, which features a joke about Pluto.

In 1987, actor and comedian Mel Brooks directed the film Spaceballs, which is a parody of George Lucas' 1977 film, Star Wars. The film features endless spoofs of Lucas' characters and plots, but one scene in particular stands out to Pluto fans. One character tells a joke about another character, Harry, who lands on an unknown planet and begins feeling all of the trees. Harry declares that the group has landed on Pluto and someone else asks how he knows this. "Because of the bark!" Harry responds, making a reference to both the planet and Mickey Mouse's pet. Click here to watch the scene. 

Image of the 1991 postage stamp featuring Pluto with the words "not yet explored." Courtesy of the National Postal Museum Collection. 

Stamp issued by the United States Postal Service (USPS) in 2016 following the New Horizons mission. Image courtesy of USPS. 

The United States Postal Service (USPS) created a line of postage stamps in 1991 with the planets in the solar system. Pluto's intially read "Pluto—Not Yet Explored" with a very vague rendering of the planet. Following the New Horizons mission, USPS issued an updated postage stamp with the words "Pluto—Explored!" alongside images of the New Horizons satellite and a detailed image Pluto from the mission.