Max's Gravity Well

Hi, I'm Max! 👋

Hey, I'm Max! Imagine space is a big stretchy trampoline. Put something heavy on it, like the Sun, and the sheet sags into a funnel. That funnel is what we call gravity. Everything nearby rolls toward the dip. Grab the picture and drag it around, because it really is three dimensional and you can look at that funnel from any side you like. Scroll or pinch to zoom in and out. Watch the planets. Each one makes its own little dent as it goes, and the big ones dent the sheet way more than the little ones. Slide the Sun's mass up and see the funnel get deeper and the planets whip around faster. Then here's my favourite part: press Turn gravity off. The dent vanishes and every planet flies away in a straight line, because that is what things do when nothing pulls on them. Try throwing a comet in too. Ready? Give it a spin!