The Praying Astronauts meme features a group of space explorers in full gear kneeling in a state of deep, ironic reverence before a central object or idea. Rooted in the aesthetic of surrealist internet humor, the template utilizes the high-tech, serious imagery of NASA-style suits to represent exaggerated devotion toward mundane or absurd concepts. It gained popularity on social media platforms like Reddit and Twitter as a way to illustrate 'simping' for new technology, celebrating the arrival of a long-awaited video game, or simply acknowledging the superiority of a specific niche hobby. The humor stems from the dramatic visual of elite scientists treating everyday items like divine artifacts.