Why do planets go around the sun?
The sun's gravity pulls on the planets, so they keep circling around it.
Pip’s answer
- The sun's gravity pulls on the planets, so they keep circling around it.
- Each planet is also zooming forward very fast, like a ball you throw. Zoom!
- The pull and the zoom work together, so planets go round and round.
- Ooh, Earth takes one whole year to go around the sun once!
For grown-ups
The sun's gravity pulls on the planets, while each planet is also moving forward very fast. Together, that pull and forward motion keep each planet circling the sun in an orbit. Planets closer to the sun travel faster and have shorter years.
Ask your child: How old would you be on a planet with a much longer year?
More questions kids ask
- 🌕Why doesn’t the moon fall down?
- 🍎Why do things fall down?
- 🌍Why is the Earth round?
- 🌙Why does it get dark at night?
- ⭐Why do stars twinkle?
- 🌓Why does the moon change shape?
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