Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Achieving Orbit

What does a falling apple and the moon have in common? On this explainer, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice explore gravity, Sir Isaac Newton, and how objects acheive orbit. Has Chuck ever been in orbit?
Discover the history of our orbiting moon with Sir Isaac Newton. What would happen if you fired an apple from a mountaintop? Learn how Newton connected the falling apple to the orbiting moon. How can objects escape gravity? What does “falling” even mean? Why are astronauts weightless when they are in orbit? Neil voices some qualms he has with the film Ad Astra and you’ll hear a reading list to learn more about Newton. Is he truly the world’s greatest intellect?
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Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!
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[@bootney66]

Neil - “Chuck, you ever been in orbit”? Chuck - .....pause 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@greensky01]

Las much as I like Neil for his knowledge I do dislike it when he belittles and/or dismisses Chuck. Let the man do his part which is being a comedian

[@Saffacus]

@@greensky01 I don't think that Neil ever belittles or dismisses Chuck, or anyone else, by the matter. He's too smart to put his mind at the state to do that..

[@greensky01]

@@Saffacus perhaps not intentionally. Although I do understand that they are friends sometimes it comes off as such.

[@Morpheux1]

@@Saffacus but then again, he can learn more if he lets him speak. No matter how smart you are, you are not always right.

[@Morpheux1]

“One of the great challenges in life is knowing enough to think you're right but not enough to know you're wrong” Neil D. Tyson

[@nosferatu8530]

BEST opening ever.... "have you ever been in orbit"? "Ehmmm" "The answer is No" 🤣🤣🤣 I live for these two boys 😍

[@Abhishek_Sarbhukan]

Neil: Chuck, you ever been in orbit? I was expecting Chuck to say, "Well, I am in orbit around the sun from last 45 years or so."

[@timauth]

I thought i was the only one that caught that. We're all in orbit.

[@stevenreichertart]

Good answer!

[@original_EL]

But you are not weight less , until you are free falling or in water

[@timauth]

@@original_EL true but the point is you are in orbit

[@original_EL]

@@timauth the planet is in orbit, were under the law of gravity, until gravity isn't affecting us .

[@Narikeljinjira]

These guys are a great team.

[@skeginaldp1533]

True, when Neil has other comedians on I’m usually underwhelmed. Shoutouts to Chuck!

[@cyndicorinne]

💯

[@ridetheapex]

@@skeginaldp1533 Heh...I usuly don't watch. Well, it depends on the topic. However, Chuck should be part of every episode. The way he responds to Dr. Tyson, invokes Dr's thought prosses better than most other guests on the show.

[@ForgedinStruggle]

Your face is a great team

[@duanehastrich1460]

Totally

[@saschaschneider9157]

“The Guide says there is an art to flying", said Ford, "or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” ― Douglas Adams; Life, the Universe and Everything

[@Damocles54]

As someone who discovered the works of Douglas Adams in middle school and used the wisdom contained therein to become, i appreciate your post. Stay cool you hoopy frood

[@Damocles54]

@TheRenaissanceman65 also useful if you can teach the woman you're into that knack so you can bang on the wing of an airliner. Never mind the old woman watching you, it's probably been a while for her. Just don't forget the walkmans lol

[@Damocles54]

@TheRenaissanceman65 yes. Exactly.

[@Damocles54]

@TheRenaissanceman65 but regardless who you choose to take on the adventure, you cannot forget the walkmans. I got the feeling Arthur thought Dire Straights fit the mood, though i will always say MCMXC a.D. by Enigma is hands on the best soundtrack for such activities

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

Prrrreeettty certain that D.A. did that on purpose. 😎 #42

[@thechosenone8523]

I got kicked out of a Flat Earth Facebook group for asking if the social distancing rule pushed anyone over the edge yet

[@ericlarue8010]

There are those who care about their fellow man, and would tell the trurh hnowing it would benefit everyone. For others, the truth might benefit others and that might be a threat to them.

[@TheKki2]

Newton was a genius to even begin comparing the free-fall of an apple to the moon's orbit. Side note: Chuck also deserves his props for taking on this job and holding his own/being able to keep up with Neil.

[@johnalexwallwall]

You two bring me such happiness I swear, thank you guys

[@vanyacaron3789]

AGREED!!😊👍

[@nofarDcohen]

The Expanse did the gravity acceleration thing really well.

[@JJs_playground]

It's actually amazing that newton was able to deduce the apple and moon are both falling to earth. Same goes for Einstein and his special / general theories of relativity.

[@Robert_McGarry_Poems]

They were taught philosophy, we are not. It's easy to be amazed at something that seems far away. Imagine what indigenous peoples think when contacted for the first time.

[@herewardofbourn8197]

Its falling to earth while moving further away

[@martf4701]

Psychadelics molecules opens minds

[@Fister_of_Muppets]

Einstein was on a more advanced level. His theories on relativity are still being tested... and proven correct... to this very day.

[@joeiborowski9763]

@@Fister_of_MuppetsTo this day, we still use Newton's laws and calculations of motions to send spacecrafts to precise accuracy to other planets. Newton also invented calculus to explain the orbits of planets. Waaaay ahead of his time. He is the father of modern science.

[@jimkurth]

This blew my mind regarding the reason for free fall or weightlessness. Wow! Never seen things like that but makes perfectly logical sense. I really enjoy this KZbin channel. Always learning something new

[@hareecionelson5875]

I recommend "which way is down" for more mind bending realisation General relativity clicked in my head when I watched this

[@LaBelleTML]

Some people don't know why objects orbit around the earth. They just don't understand the gravity of the situation.

[@gyozakeynsianism]

Just wait for the answer to hit them.

[@ericscaillet2232]

Surely you meant gravety...

[@maestrobassyo2]

Chuck is a big reason why I watch this, super funny guy!

[@murasaki848]

“There is an art to flying, or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. ... Clearly, it is this second part, the missing, that presents the difficulties.” -The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. This description of orbit is what every Kerbal Space Program player learns. As you see your rocket's curve on the map and you fire the engine, you see that curve extending further and further until it misses the ground entirely.

[@TheMediumDaddy]

I have my towel

[@sagarkardak7256]

I regret watching audio only podcasts and missing Neil's laughter

[@Q_QQ_Q]

where

[@Dr.Kornelius]

@@Q_QQ_Q startalk radio - any podcast app

[@vykintasmorkvenas6839]

Didn't notice his laughs were soundless :)

[@EecoHeartGlow]

KZbin definitely much better 💚🙌🏽

[@JG-zt3cg]

Talk about Newton but man, Neil is one of the most brilliant minds of our time. May he continue to amaze us with his knowledge of the universe and his wisdom.

[@luccasthomazzi]

I’ve been watching StarTalk for a long time. I’ve seen many episodes on incredible things. But this one was so well explained by Neil that you feel like you can go through the thought process of Isaac Newton. Then you realize how genius his idea was. Love the show! Love you Neil!

[@troyporter3825]

this video is so underrated - waaaaay too little views!...BEST EXPLANATION EVER. Great stuff guys!

[@oxvaldus]

This show should be mandatory

[@SharpSapphire]

I love these two guy’s synergism. They’re super great together. Always a thoughtful and entertaining show, every one. Just love it!!

[@lethabothibedi7750]

Did Neil really let “Boomerapple” slide? 😂😂

[@bilalshah9480]

"Let mortals rejoice so great an ornament of human history has existed" it is written for newton I guess

[@ScienceManiacCZ]

One of my favorite historical greats is Leonardo Da Vinci and to know that Newton is as diverse as he was is awesome and makes me want to learn more about him! Always learn SO MUCH when I watch these vids!!

[@ScienceCommunicator2001]

As far as engineers go, Da Vinci was the greatest!

[@rusteshackleferd8115]

These videos ALWAYS make me smarter!

[@iTheShirt]

3 seconds and I'm in tears.

[@fwd79]

Love, love, *LOVE* the combination of Neil and Chuck, please keep it coming.

[@chrisostling805]

I love this series; I have to admit that I have been binge watching and having a great time. I love the detailed explanations, done with humor. It is so great to see such a fantastic Teacher having so much fun and laughing so much while explaining such complex things that most people never think about.

[@elitesoccerblogs4947]

The back and forth banter is so entertaining ! Thanks for sharing your knowledge sir.

[@user..-.]

I LOVE THE STAR BACKGROUND. NEVER STOP HAVING IT!

[@lz8672]

Y'all need to do a live concert... love your chemistry! Invite some of the great scientist you have interviewed these last few years,

[@keithg1313]

I really need this explanation. Thank you.

[@loganpieterse8866]

Gotta love these two , keeping me intrigued at work

[@ishakc7638]

The opening was hilarious😂

Orbitting is like falling to Earth but you constantly missed it... :D My fav. story about Newton is that when he was the "warden of the mint", and then Newton also became a detective, hunting down counterfeiters. And he had an "arch enemy", a counterfeiter called William Chaloner. This is a brilliant story!

[@there_can_only_be_one__unicorn]

Thanks for the time and effort you invest in your productions; they are very appreciated! Thank you ;to both of you.

[@davidcea8686]

I swear this is a re-upload. I’m cool with it…saves me the trouble of digging through the archived videos to find it when I wanna see it again. I look forward to these every Tuesday Neil

[@frogz]

i think neil forgets his own videos and re-did this one, bet both are still up

[@kurtsjagstang]

This knowledge of universe has been so fun to slice, vastly because in here, we have Chuck Nice

[@generyan2332]

been watching this show for awhile now, and I always enjoy Neil deGrasse Tyson telling it like it is.

[@ThePixelExpedition]

Neil and Chuck always makes my day. Another awesome episode :)

[@afgdfdgdfddf42]

Great show, thank you for your dedication. Looking forward for the next episode!

[@krishnamadoo9953]

Loved this explainer....thanks guys

[@theduder2617]

The crew of the fateful Challenger mission brought a piece of the heat shield when they visited our class. Sadly, the memory of the heat shield piece however, was replaced 7 times over no sooner than we seen the shuttle breach the tree tops behind our school. I can not forget the impact. We had two cracked classroom windows for a week as a reminder. I even remember the cracked pattern of the window I sat next to. Sorry. The mentioning of the shuttle's heat shield kicked up serious memories for a moment.

[@theduder2617]

@@RDDC_Official You will not be disrespectful by choosing to be so intentionally ignorant. If you wish to behave in such a manner, do so anywhere else as I will not tolerate it.

[@RDDC_Official]

@@theduder2617 the truth hurts doesn't it? It's not disrespectful if they are still alive and you choose to not believe it. It's disrespectful to humanity for buying into lies from psychopaths

[@christopherwright3980]

On his own Neil is such an amazing teacher I wish I would have had teachers like him in school I would have actually probably paid attention and done a lot better things with my life but that's neither here nor there but the fact that he also seen the opportunity to bring a comedian in to learn what some people might consider very complex science was just brilliant absolutely brilliant

[@vykintasmorkvenas6839]

To put it in perspective: an object in a free fall at the surface of the Earth falls 5m in 1st second. The Earth curves 5m in about 8km (you can do a simple trigonometry calculation to find this out). Thus the 1st orbital speed equals those 8km per second.

[@theodoremeyer7732]

Just learnt something...great stuff keep it up...just like the gold pillar behind Neil.

[@11pke]

Great team, whenever I feel like some dose of laughing, happiness and at the same time learning interesting stuff, I come to your show. Never disappoints. Bless and continue

[@warrnej]

I love when Neil talks about Isaac Newton. I could listen all day. Isaac Newtons mind was transcendent 🍎🌖

[@grapy83]

A case of Ultra Brilliance for sure.

[@KINGFAROOQ1216]

Well we can't overstate a dead done that hit a bullseye on a target nobody even missed, a target nobody could even see. But Einstein and Newton were most likely the top minds to have ever existed, Einstein said he did t stand on the shoulders of Newton he stood on the shoulders of James Clark maxwell

[@Eyes_dont_Lie]

THIS MAN HAS BEEN THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENED IN MY LIFE FOR PAST 3 weeks lol. Ive known about dr. Tyson but ive been following his videos/debates past few weeks. He is sooooo humble, enthusiastic, brilliant, caring, loving and cool. Just watching star talk I HAVE LEARNED SOOOO MUCH and i relish it But i still dont understand many things he explains lol 😂

[@original_EL]

Neil is the most clear minded person I've seen , he can really carry a story and make you think about your own purpose in life .

[@jeanine219]

Thank you for explaining this so clearly.

[@ItsMirandaRedmond]

I concur, you guys make a great team, I love that you can SEE the loving respect you two have for one another and it's beautiful and sweet and definitely adds to the videos. You guys are hilarious and smart and I love all your videos and hope there's always more💞💞💞

[@Nightcrawler333]

"Of all humans, there is no greater intellect" - this one sentence is enough for us to realize the greatness of Sir Isaac Newton

[@ourwetdogs106]

Informative and entertaining guys thanks.

[@chrisbrown8748]

The opening was absolutely hilarious lol.

[@theconqueringram5295]

Neil and Chuck make learning fun!

[@akhils7311]

Wow, Thank you for such an amazing content. Neil Sir, could you please make a video on Coriolis force and Eotvos effect? Hope this message reaches to you. Thank you.

[@Robert_McGarry_Poems]

That intro was funny! 🤣🥳

[@reggienhappiness8851]

Chuck is hilarious 🤣

[@sherrydewitt9635]

This is AmAzInG ❤️

[@oldfart5940]

I love the way you explain things, always informative and funny at the same time!

[@M3galodon]

Everything I know about orbits I learned in Kerbal Space Program. As a layman, I now understand rockets and space travel on a whole new level.

[@donnieb.8243]

I go thru so many feelings watching yall.. luv yall bro

[@davidmee1822]

Love these videos, learning and laughing.

[@wandilezondi6401]

The day this stops being the Neil and Chuck show, is the day I unsubscribe ❤️😭

[@Thecrazyraven.]

I cringed a little when he said “it’s my show, when you get a show…” 😩

[@F_L_U_X]

3:58 Reminds me of most kids today. Amazing facts thrown at them and their response is just "nice" with a blank look in their face while thinking about TikTok videos. I know Chuck isn't one of them and usually has the appropriate response, but that reaction just made me laugh.

[@anothermouth7077]

I hear you. It's kinda sad there is no sense of wonder and amazement left in kids.. Or atleast it's diminishing

[@lc91324]

hands down. the best video i watched today. wow! mind blown!!

[@zain786ification]

Chuck , you've been in orbit ? Yes since I was born, ive been orbiting the sun 😎.

[@ShauriePvs]

*inserts "ohhhhhhh" meme*

[@theduder2617]

Correction: Earth has been in orbit. We merely go along for the ride until we leave the planet and create our own orbital path. Astronauts orbit because they are no longer on Earth and no longer in its atmosphere. The same as you are not traveling 70mph, your car is. You are merely along for the ride.

[@PHDiaz-vv7yo]

@@theduder2617 that’s going to be great in court. “Sir you were driving at 70 mph in a 40 zone?” “No, the car was. I’m along for the ride” Genius

[@theduder2617]

@@PHDiaz-vv7yo That may only be useful in describing orbit. Trying that it court will only result in a guilty verdict I'm betting. lol

[@YoukaiSlayer12]

You guys are just awesome. & yes Chuck, Grant is worth reading about. But I may look into more of Newton’s books.

[@n0xxm3rcyxx]

i really like these. thank you for doing these. :)

[@csmith80]

Neil: A bunch of very very smart stuff Chuck (and me): "Right"

[@nkirukalazz-onyenobi36]

😂🤓😂

[@Chicaneist]

"Ohhhhh my god" Always my favourite bit of Dr Tyson's explanations.

[@par32]

You’re awesome Chuck!!!

[@lemongavine]

I learned this in my high school physics class. I think that’s the only thing I actually remember learning in that class.

[@Damocles54]

That whole having gravity whilst your rocket is firing is core to the science part of the science fiction in "the expanse". It's awesome

[@juandavidcelistorres5748]

I love you, guys! Greetings from Colombia. Thanks for your teachings :D

[@MrNeverface]

These videos are getting me through my night shift. Hail science!

[@kevanhubbard9673]

A bit out Lincolnshire is in the English East Midlands and nearer Cambridge than London but I would like to walk to either from Woolsthorpe Newton's hamlet.The nearest town is Grantham.

[@davew5383]

This is very interesting, I enjoyed it very much👍🙂

[@nicknackwaddleback7504]

awesome episode :)

[@SpaceMiner007]

This is a show I'll have to watch again. If an object is catapulted into space, but is still effected by our planet's gravitational pull, it will return to Earth, albeit in a different location due to Earth's rotation. I need to study more astrophysics. Thanks for your show's insights.

[@jerelull9629]

Orbit: Reminds me of an instruction on learning how to fly, possibly in Hitchhiker's Guide: Aim at the ground -- and MISS!

[@HughJass-jv2lt]

❤

[@urbanlogger]

Great video love you guys

[@johnnyeyez78]

I learn so much every time I watch these guys. If only school was this awesome.

[@ericscaillet2232]

School has to perform more than one duty , hence the issue.

[@pasza_dem]

Thanks you for this one now i not only know orbit but i understand it and can explain it, amazing!!!

[@ericscaillet2232]

Explain it mathematically?...just kidding😉

[@CollinMPLS]

Neil and Chuck together, man... Need I say more?

[@shivakumarcd]

Neil says Oh my gosh: 10:50. *He blows our mind all day & very few things blow his mind..

[@deoncriefmanuel5351]

You guys talk about some really cool stuff here 🤯👍

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

This is THE single best StarTalk ever. 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ ESPECIALLY because of Chuck's reaction to Sir I.N. possibly having... faaaaaar more Time on his hands because of... reasons. 💪😎🤟 But also, absolutely love the explanations of 'orbit'. Basically, ya just ORB it, whatever it is! 😁

[@dustinpavlick8396]

Question for the next cosmic queries, even though it isn't that cosmic, if u had mount everest or another large quantity of matter above you, by a few feet, and you are standing on a scale would you weigh slightly less than you would normally?

[@JeanEstevez]

Wow i didnt know about this material that cools down so quick

[@gauravjharkhandivlogs337]

Greatly explained sir,,,,

[@gilv4889]

Chuck just chillin at home doing his thing when he gets a call from Neil.

[@yoihenbath]

I learned so much thank you neil

[@Timothy4468]

This reminds me of one of my favorite summaries of orbit: the art of falling toward the ground…and missing.

[@altortugas5979]

Douglas Adams on how to fly: throw yourself at the ground and miss.

[@paxtonluellen6637]

You already know this but that was a amazing video I just learned some pretty amazing things

[@alanbrady420]

Lol love the oven mitts shout 😂😂

[@ariesx310]

Love these guys

[@jimmybrungus2552]

Literally 11 seconds in and I’m already laughing out loud. They make a great duo.

[@jel818]

any explanation to the bump on Chuck's head? I've seen it in the last couple of videos... Hope it's just a temporary bump.

[@mbrew3244]

Thanks!