What is orbit?

An orbit is when one thing keeps going around another without touching it, like a space version of a swing.

Imagine you're on a swing at the park. When someone pushes you, you go up and forward. If they push just right, you'll keep swinging in a circle, not flying off or falling down. That’s kind of what happens with orbits.

Think about Earth and the Moon. The Moon is like a big rock that keeps going around Earth without touching it. It's as if someone gave the Moon a really strong push long ago, and now it keeps going around Earth in a path we call an orbit.

Just like you need a swing to keep moving, something needs a special kind of speed or push to stay in orbit. If the Moon went too slow, it would fall toward Earth, like if you stopped swinging and just fell down. But if it went too fast, it might fly away into space, like if you swung so hard you left the swing entirely.

So an orbit is a happy balance between speed and distance, kind of like being on the perfect swing! An orbit is when one thing keeps going around another without touching it, like a space version of a swing.

Imagine you're on a swing at the park. When someone pushes you, you go up and forward. If they push just right, you'll keep swinging in a circle, not flying off or falling down. That’s kind of what happens with orbits.