If the Moon's made of cheese, Pluto must be nougat

Okay, how did you learn the names and order of the planets? Did your 7th grade science teacher use the usual mnemonic device? Mine did, and that's still how I remember the correct sequence: My very educated mother just served us nine pies. Some people learned the 'nine pizzas' version - perhaps that was for kids living above the Mason Dixon Line? And one version has the educated mother just showing the pies to the kids . . . that doesn't sound very smart, and, in fact, it's rather mean! Anyway, we learned the planets thanks to whichever saying we used: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto! Then a few years ago, Pluto was downgraded leaving only eight planets.

The devolution of Pluto resulted in a new mnemonic: My very educated mother just served us nougat. Nougat? Really . . . nougat? Who eats nougat - besides the Italians and the French? Was that really the best word that starts with 'N'?

I'm hoping that the people who are trying to get Pluto reinstated will be successful - it has lots of supporters and in some circles is even being called "The People's Planet", so maybe we can drop the nougat and return to the nine pies! According to National Geographic, Pluto was demoted because "it does not dominate its neighborhood" and it has an "untidy" orbit. Perhaps with a bit of counseling, it can become more aggressive and sweep up some of the asteroids and comets in its path - then we can once again consider it a planet!

Until then we're stuck with nougat . . . and what two candy bars have nougat (I know, it's not real nougat, but it's close enough)? Mars and Milky Way! So nougat has a space connection after all and maybe it is a good choice for the the very educated mother to serve . . . what do you think?