My friend Steve asked ...

Ok, so as citizens of the federation of eight planets, it's up to us to replace the now defunct mnemonic "My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine Planets" with something else.

I'd forgotten that. This cute song will need revision as well:

Dr. Free-Ride: Please?

Younger offspring: Oh, alright!

Nine planets, fine planets,
In our solar system.
Nine planets, fine planets,
See if we can list 'em.

Mercury is planet number one,
It's right there close to the Sun.

Then there's Venus, the planet of love,
Brightest planet in the heavens above.

Earth is planet number three,
It makes a home for you and me.

Mars, the red planet, is number four.
Old man Mars is the god of war.

Then there's Jupiter, number five.
Biggest planet in the skies.

Saturn really makes me sing,
It's the one with the beautiful ring.

Uranus and Neptune, nothing between,
Far from the Sun it's hard to be seen.

Pluto is the next place to go.
It's the last planet we now* know.

Nine planets, fine planets,
In our solar system.
Nine planets, fine planets,
See if we can list 'em.

Dr. Free-Ride: Thank you!

(* "now" added in recognition of Xena)

It was kind on embarrasing to see those IAU scientists make fools of themselves. I think it was Phil Plait who pointed out that geologists and geographers get along fine without worrying about the cultural tradition of seven continents.

And did you know that Pluto the dog was named after Pluto the (erstwhile) planet?