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Dear Dr. Staff: What keeps the moon from falling down? My pappy told me that it's because if it did, it would make an awful mess where it landed, and that all them couples walking under the moonlight wouldn't be able to see. I went to my great-uncle Smiley, though, and he started spouting something about it always falling. If the moon is always falling, how come it never comes down?

--Future Astrophysicist

Dear Future: Neither your pappy or your uncle was right. Have you ever played golf? Well, there's these little dimples on the ball that make it go farther. It's too complicated to go into, but those dimples help hold the golf ball in the air. Well, it's the same way with the moon. All the craters act like dimples to help hold it up, and they do it even better since there's not much air up that far. It's amazing how simple some things are once you set down and think about them.

--Past Astrophysicist


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