MVEMJSNUP

For the last few months I’ve been teaching my five year old daughter a word I learnt at school to help remember the order of the planets - MVEMJSNUP.

But, now that they’ve opened up the ‘planet’ catagory to all comers I’m going to have to learn a new word.

OK so at the moment there are 12 ‘planets’ on the list - 8 classical planets and 4 ‘plutons’.

The four new planets (including Pluto) are Ceres which is between Mars & Jupiter, Pluto & Charon (now a twin planet and not a moon) and UB313.

So the new word would have to be MVEMCJSNUPCU - not as pleasant to say as MVEMBJSNUP is it.

And there are a number 12 planet candidates on the list - some Trans-Neptunian Objects and some large Asteroids.

Currently these are called EL61, FY9, Sedna, Orcus, Quaoar, TX300, Ixion, AW197, Vesta, Pallas and Hygiea - I’m not even going to write THAT word.

Although, the letter and number ‘planets’ will eventually get a new name and UB313 is already being dubbed Xena - which actually makes the word even harder.

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