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The simple answer is gravity.

An apple is dropped and it falls towards the Earth. If you throw it, it travels away from you, but also eventually falls towards the Earth. Throw it harder and it travels further, but also eventually falls towards the Earth.

Now throw it hard enough so it travels beyond the horizon, it's always falling slowly towards Earth, but by the time it's dropped a little the ground has moved away from it thanks to the curve of the Earth. So it keeps going and keeps falling.

That is what's happening to the moon. It's constantly falling towards us, but won't hit for a very long time.

And that is what's happening to the Earth around the Sun. And every other planet around the Sun. And the Sun around our galaxy, the Milky Way. And the Milky Way? It's floating around other galaxies.

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16y ago

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