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fletch44 t1_iz8emhz wrote

When something like a planet is orbiting a massive object in a vacuum, the planet is moving sideways at the same time as falling into the massive object, so it keeps missing. The smaller inner planets are moving sideways much faster than the outer planets, so they continue to miss the sun.

That sideways motion combined with the gravitational pull towards the sun results in an elliptical orbit.

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IronSmithFE t1_izdilxr wrote

mass, speed and distance all are factors. objects with less mass aren't as heavily acted upon by other objects. objects that are moving quickly will have comparably greater resistance to the inward force. lastly, distance, the further two objects are from each other the less effect their masses have on each other.

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