Let's Help Write a New Mnemonic for the Solar System. My Very Excellent Mother...

By Nancy Atkinson - January 21, 2015 at 3:36 PM UTC | Solar Astronomy

The current most-used Solar System mnemonic for remembering the planets and their order from the Sun is "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles." But, it's the "

Year of the Dwarf Planet

" and some folks are hoping all the dwarfs of our Solar System will get a little more respect and possibly be considered "real" planets.

A group of science writers from

The New York Times

are among those who are "rooting for the dwarf planets to be considered actual planets." But if that were to happen, one issue would be that we'd need a new memorization mnemonic (I know... this is a a horrible dilemma.)

It wouldn't be just adding P for Pluto (and reverting back to the old "My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas) — you'd have to add a C in the middle for Ceres, along with E for Eris, H for Haumea and M for Makemake at the end.

So, Universe Today readers, let's help The New York Times find some new mnemonics.

Here would be the order:

M

ercury

V

enus

E

arth

M

ars

C

eres

J

upiter

S

aturn

U

ranus

N

eptune

P

luto

H

aumea

M

akemake

E

ris

And while we're at it, we'll take suggestions for a new (family friendly, please) mnemonic for the current 8 planets we have, something without Mothers and Noodles, perhaps. Planet hunter

Mike Brown

from Caltech (one of the folks responsible for all this planet arguing) has suggested "Mean Very Evil Men Just Shortened Up Nature."

Put your ideas in the comments below.