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Moon is continuously falling towards earth but missing all the time! Same with other planets too.

In general, in an inverse square central force field one can calculate the trajectory of a particle and verify that the trajectory is either a parabola or ellipse or hyperbola (conic sections) depending upon the initial position and initial momentum of the particle. For a two body system with certain initial conditions, it is a stable elliptical orbit. In case of the sun and the earth it is an ellipse (ignoring gravitation of other objects and also ignoring the relativistic precision of orbit).

This page has a nice video.

The moon is continuously falling towards the earth but missing all the time! Same with other planets too.

In general, in an inverse square central force field one can calculate the trajectory of a particle and verify that the trajectory is either a parabola or ellipse or hyperbola (conic sections) depending upon the initial position and initial momentum of the particle. For a two body system with certain initial conditions, it is a stable elliptical orbit. In case of the sun and the earth it is an ellipse (ignoring gravitation of other objects and also ignoring the relativistic precession of orbit).

This page has a nice video.

Moon is continuously falling towards earth but missing all the time! Same with other planets too.

In general, in an inverse square central force field one can calculate the trajectory of a particle and verify that the trajectory is either a parabola or ellipse or hyperbola (conic sections) depending upon the initial position and initial momentum of the particle. For a two body system with certain initial conditions, it is a stable elliptical orbit. In case of the sun and the earth it is an ellipse (ignoring gravitation of other objects and also ignoring the relativistic precision of orbit).

This page has a nice video.

For an intuitive understanding see the following image (created by me in paint, so apology for the bad quality)

The arrows are six impulse forces towards a fixed direction on the particle at six distinct instants. It is already taken a closed orbit of a polygon. Now consider adding those forces continuously towards the fixed direction. The trajectory of the particle will ultimately take the shape of an ellipse provide its initial conditions are suitable.

I hope, now you understand why moon does not fall upon earth! :)

Moon is continuously falling towards earth but missing all the time! Same with other planets too.

In general, in an inverse square central force field one can calculate the trajectory of a particle and verify that the trajectory is either a parabola or ellipse or hyperbola (conic sections) depending upon the initial position and initial momentum of the particle. For a two body system with certain initial conditions, it is a stable elliptical orbit. In case of the sun and the earth it is an ellipse (ignoring gravitation of other objects and also ignoring the relativistic precision of orbit).

This page has a nice video.

Moon is continuously falling the towards earth but missing all the time! Same with other planets too.

In general, in an inverse square central force field one can calculate the trajectory of a particle and verify that the trajectory is either a parabola or ellipse or hyperbola (conic sections) depending upon the initial position and initial momentum of the particle. For a two body system with certain initial conditions, it is a stable elliptical orbit. In case of the sun and the earth it is an ellipse (ignoring gravitation of other objects and also ignoring the relativistic precision of orbit).

This page has a nice video.

Moon is continuously falling towards earth but missing all the time! Same with other planets too.

In general, in an inverse square central force field one can calculate the trajectory of a particle and verify that the trajectory is either a parabola or ellipse or hyperbola (conic sections) depending upon the initial position and initial momentum of the particle. For a two body system with certain initial conditions, it is a stable elliptical orbit. In case of the sun and the earth it is an ellipse (ignoring gravitation of other objects and also ignoring the relativistic precision of orbit).

This page has a nice video.

For an intuitive understanding see the following image (created by me in paint, so apology for the bad quality)

The arrows are six impulse forces towards a fixed direction on the particle at six distinct instants. It is already taken a closed orbit of a polygon. Now consider adding those forces continuously towards the fixed direction. The trajectory of the particle will ultimately take the shape of an ellipse provide its initial conditions are suitable.

I hope, now you understand why moon does not fall upon earth! :)