2007-02-14 05:55:22 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The moon actually is flying off into space. The moon is actually leaving Earth's orbit at about the same speed your fingernails grow. We're able to determine this b/c of the mirror the astronauts left on the moon in the 60's or '70's don't remember which.
2007-02-14 06:30:40 · answer #1 · answered by Rick 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The earth's gravity holds the moon in place so that it doesnt go flying off, also this is why the moon orbits the earth and the earth orbits the sun (the sun's gravity is pulling on the earth and everythng in the solar system) the bigger something is, or i should say, the more mass something has the more gravity it has, we are even producing are own gravity fields right now, you are influencing the person next to you as they are you it's just not big enough to have any effect!
Ali
2007-02-15 05:58:32 · answer #2 · answered by Ali 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The moon is held in orbit by the gravitational pull of the earth, just like the earth is held in orbit around the sun.
Interestingly because of the affect of tides (the moon 'pulls' the tides around the earth) the moon gets slower and further away (like a figure skater, when they want to spin fast they pull in their arms, when they want to slow down they extend their arms). Because of this tidal affect the moon gets about an inch further away every year. So someday the moon will go flying off into space. Bad news for lovers, good news for star-gazers.
Hope this helps.
2007-02-14 09:31:28 · answer #3 · answered by LX V 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The gravitational pull between the earth and moon keep it in orbit.
Imagine swinging around a small weight tied to the end of a string. The tension on the string keeps the weight from flying off -- this is analogous to the gravity between the earth and moon.
2007-02-14 05:57:45 · answer #4 · answered by Yamson 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As it moves on a tangent away from the earth it falls at relatively the same rate. Because it is travelling fast enough it just never falls to earth, but keeps on going round, like the rope idea. Its horizontal speed is faster than the speed it is falling. It never slows down like stuff would on earth because there is no friction 400000 km away. Also pretty much everything in space naturally settles into an orbit of some sort.
2007-02-14 07:24:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is,but very slowly,1 1/2 inch a year moves away from the earth,the moon covered the sky at night when the dynosaurs walk around
2007-02-14 06:18:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
because it is attached to the earth's pull of gravity but it doesnt collide because of the moons gravity trying to get the moon to go off into space.
2007-02-14 06:16:27 · answer #7 · answered by acorna9898 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cos it has no wings, and besides i think its rather attached to the earth by its lurve connection - gravity........oh if it did fly off into space imagine the havoc on earth! no tides , weather all over the place, birds and other animals lost,oh lets not ....
2007-02-14 06:05:06 · answer #8 · answered by va-va 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Same reason you do not shoot into space.
Newton worked it out 350 years ago. How come you are 350 years behind the times?
2007-02-14 06:03:18 · answer #9 · answered by nick s 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The interrelationship of the gravitational pull of the earth and that of other planets in our solar system keeps it in an equilibrium
2007-02-14 06:03:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋