Having trouble remembering the newly designated 11 planets? A fourth-grader is able to help.
Maryn Smith is the winner of the National Geographic planetary mnemonic contest. She has created a handy way to remember the planets. Just remember this phrase: My Very Exciting Magic Carpet Just Sailed Under Nine Palace Elephants.
The 11 recognized planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Eris. Ceres, Pluto and Eris are considered dwarf planets.
PHOTO: AP
National Geographic Children's Books created the contest after the recent announcement about the planets.
Smith's mnemonic will be in astronomer David Aguilar's next National Geographic book. It's called: 11 Planets: A New View of the Solar System. The mnemonic will also be in a song. Singer Lisa Loeb will record the song.
The book and the song will both be released this month.(STAFF WRITER, WITH AP)
記不起來最新認定的十一大行星嗎？一個小四學生有辦法幫你！
馬琳:史密斯是「國家地理」星球記憶大賽得主，她發明了便於記住星球的好辦法。只要記住以下這句口訣︰「My Very Exciting Magic Carpet Just Sailed Under Nine Palace Elephants（我那張充滿活力的魔氈剛飛過九隻皇宮大象之下）」。
這十一個公認的星球為︰水星（Mercury）、金星（Venus）、地球（Earth）、火星（Mars）、穀神星（Ceres）、木星（Jupiter）、土星（Saturn）、天王星（Uranus）、海王星（Neptune）、冥王星（Pluto）和鬩神星（Eris）。但其中穀神星、冥王星和鬩神星被視為矮行星。
「國家地理」童書部在日前的行星公佈活動之後，舉辦了這場比賽。
史密斯的口訣將收錄於「國家地理」為天文學家大衛:艾古拉所出的新書《十一大行星︰太陽系新觀》中。該口訣還會編成一首歌，由歌手莉莎:洛普負責錄唱。
書本和歌曲都將於本月發行。（美聯社／翻譯：張愛弟）
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