What causes the apparent confinement of the Sun, Moon, and visible planets to the ecliptic band?
Answer
The planets, including Earth, orbit the Sun in roughly the same flat plane.
The alignment is a result of the mechanics of the solar system, where the orbital plane of the planets, known as the ecliptic plane, is relatively flat, causing celestial bodies viewed from Earth to appear restricted to this band.
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The Ecliptic: Crash Course Kids #37.2 - YouTube
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