Beyoncé as Jupiter
Kanye West as Mars
Trevor Noah as Mercury
Rihanna as Neptune
Nicki Minaj as Pluto
RuPaul Charles as Saturn
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez as Uranus
Taylor Swift as Venus
The Planet
The planet closest to our sun, Mercury is now considered the smallest planet in our solar system. Due to its proximity to the sun, Mercury is tidally locked and has a uniquely slow rotation around its axis. This means that despite each Mercurian year lasting About 89 Earth days,
a day on Mercury would cover approximately 59 days on Earth.
The God
One of the major gods of the Ancient Roman pantheon, Mercury presided over travelers, communication, commerce, and trickery.
Son of the Oread Maia and the god Jupiter, his most common symbols include his caduceus, winged sandals, and winged hat. In the Roman mythos, Mercury also served as the one to guide souls to the underworld.
The Icon
Trevor Noah, born in 1984 in Johannesburg, South Africa, is a comedian, writer, and television host. Born to a black mother and white father during the waning years of South Africa’s apartheid legislation, Trevor Noah has since become one of South Africa’s most prominent comedians. He has performed stand-up all over the world. In 2015, Noah succeeded John Stewart as host of The Daily Show, adding his unique look to America’s array of political commentary.
The Planet
The second planet from the sun, Venus is the closest to Earth in terms of size. The clouds that cover Venus are composed of sulfuric acid and the atmosphere, 92% heavier than Earth’s, is more than 96% carbon dioxide. The surface of Venus is a barren, rocky landscape occasionally interspersed with volcanic activity.
The God
Venus is the goddess of love, beauty, and sex. Although there are two recorded versions of her origin in Greco-Roman mythology, the most popular stems from Hesiod’s Theogony. In it, Hesiod recounts how Uranus’s severed genitals upon falling into the sea "were carried
over the sea a long time and white foam arose from the immortal flesh; with it, a girl grew," giving rise to the goddess Venus.
The Icon
Taylor Swift, born in 1989 in Reading, Pennsylvania, is a singer-songwriter known for her narrative songs usually about her personal life. Swift began her career at age 14 in country music, and though she quickly topped the country music charts, it wasn’t until her
third album debuted a more pop sound that she gained national recognition for her work. Since then, Swift has become a tabloid favorite due to the high turnover rate of significant others featured
in her personal life.
The Planet
The fourth planet from the sun, Mars’ surface is comprised of iron oxide (rusted iron), which gives it the distinctive red coloring it is known for. Despite the fact that Mars has little atmosphere, water in the form of ice can be found at its polar caps as well as underground. Because of this, scientists believe that Mars may carry evidence of extraterrestrial life.
The God
One of the 12 Olympians, Mars was the god of war, destruction, and masculinity. Unlike his Greek equivalent, Ares, who was mainly seen
as a destructive force, Mars was a symbol of unity. In terms of importance, Mars was second only to Jupiter and was the most prominent of the military gods.
The Icon
Kanye West, born in 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia, is a rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Despite having produced hit singles for names like Jay-Z and Alicia Keys as well as having a critically acclaimed solo career as a rapper, West is best known for his controversial views on US politics and race as well as his behavior at award shows and in public settings. From criticizing George W. Bush to wearing a MAGA hat on SNL, West always seems to find a way to ruffle as many feathers as he can.
The Planet
The fifth planet from the sun, Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. Being a gas giant, it does not have a solid surface under its cloud layer. It’s famous for the large red mark in its southern hemisphere, which is believed to be an anticyclonic storm
1.3 times the diameter of Earth.
The God
King of the Ancient Roman pantheon, Jupiter was the god of the sky and thunder whose weapon of choice was a lightning bolt. According to Greco-Roman mythology, Jupiter is the son of the Titans Saturn and Opis, and his marriage to the goddess Juno produced the four godly children: Mars, Vulcan, Bellona, and Juventas.
The Icon
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is a singer, songwriter, and dancer that was born on September 4th, 1981 in Houston, Texas. Though performing in many singing and dance competitions as a child, Beyoncé’s first claim to fame was as the lead singer of Destiny’s Child. From there she went on to produce several chart-topping albums and become one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Since 2013, Beyoncé has notably used her success as a platform to promote the Black Lives Matter and 3rd Wave Feminism movements.
The Planet
The sixth planet from our sun, Saturn gets its pale yellow color from the ammonia crystals in its upper atmosphere. The large system of rings it is known for is largely comprised of ice particles. Recent observations of Saturn’s moon Enceladus have shown powerful geyser-like jets shooting from its surface to supply most of Saturn’s
E ring.
The God
Saturn was the Titan of wealth and time, who overthrew the rule of
his father Caelus and presided over a time known as the Golden Age. However, due to his treason, he was cursed with the knowledge that he too would one day be overthrown by his son and therefore ate all of his children as soon as they were born, except Jupiter, who was born in secret.
The Icon
RuPaul, born in 1960 in San Diego, California, is a drag queen, actor, model, singer, songwriter, and television personality. Largely credited as being an LGBTQA icon, RuPaul was a popular figure in NYC’s club scene before rocketing to international fame after releasing a hit single in 1993. Since then RuPaul has made multiple TV and radio show appearances before launching the hit show RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2009, where fellow drag queens compete to win fame and fortune.
The Planet
Seventh from the sun, Uranus is the larger of the two ice giants
that make up the outer planets. Though also largely composed of hydrogen and helium like the two gas giants, Uranus and its fellow ice giant, Neptune, also contain “ices” like water, ammonia, and methane. Unlike the other planets, however, Uranus’ axis is actually sideways with its poles located where the equator would usually be.
The God
The only planet in our solar system named directly after the Greek form of the Greco-Roman pantheon, Uranus is the Latinized spelling of the Ancient Greek Ouranos, the primordial god of the sky. Husband of Gaia, the primordial goddess of the earth, together the two of
them bore the 12 Titans. However, because he kept imprisoning his children, Uranus was dispatched early in the Greco-Roman mythos.
The Icon
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, born in 1971 in Lake Jackson, Texas, was
a singer, songwriter, and fashion designer. Known as the Queen
of Tejano music, Selena ranks as one of the most influential Latin
artists of all time and is credited for catapulting Tejano music into the mainstream despite it being a male-dominated genre. Her illustrious career and her life were cut short, however, in 1995 when she died from a gunshot wound at age 23.
The Planet
The farthest planet from the sun, Neptune is the smallest of the
outer planets. The planet’s distinct blue color is due to the presence
of methane in the upper atmosphere, which is also true of Uranus.
In actuality, both Neptune and Uranus are the same color, though enhanced photos can make Neptune look to be a darker blue. The most observable difference between the two planets is the weather patterns on Neptune’s surface.
The God
Neptune was the Ancient Roman god of the sea, water, and horses. Because the Ancient Romans disliked sea travel, Neptune wasn’t as revered as his Greek equivalent, Poseidon. Instead, he became more of a general water god who presided over lakes, rivers, and streams and was more apt to be worshipped for his relations with horses due to the popularity of chariot racing.
The Icon
Rihanna, born in 1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados, is a singer and songwriter. Rihanna’s star rose to fame on the release of her first album in 2005. Since then, her career has grown to the point where she is currently credited as the highest-selling individual artist. In 2017, Rihanna was lauded for her release of the Fenty cosmetics
line which features a wide range of products for all skin colors.
The Planet
Discovered in 1930, Pluto was originally thought to be the ninth planet in our solar system until a reclassification of what constituted a planet redefined Pluto as a dwarf planet in 2006. Now it’s considered the first dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, an area just outside Neptune’s orbit. The surface of Pluto is largely comprised of nitrogen ice, which images show to be either snow-white or jet black depending on their formation.
The God
Pluto is the god that resides over the underworld. Compared to his Ancient Greek equivalent, Hades, Pluto is seen not just as the ruler
of the dead but also as the god of the wealth found under the earth. Because neither Pluto nor Hades was one of the 12 Olympians, he ended up receiving a cult-like following during both the Greek and Roman eras.
The Icon
Onika Tanya Maraj (Nicki Minaj), born in 1982, in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is a rapper and songwriter. Even before her first album, Minaj began making waves by appearing as a feature in songs by other artists. Her unique sound and colorful wigs made her an immediate stand-out. Despite having a successful career, however,
her time in the spotlight has been fraught with sensationalized conflicts with fellow female rappers like Lil’ Kim and Cardi B.