Newton didn't connect the moon to a falling apple directly. The story of the apple is likely a myth, though it's a great way to explain his thinking. Here's the real connection:

Newton realized that the same force that pulls an apple down to Earth also pulls the moon towards Earth.

Here's how:

1. Observation: Newton observed that objects fall to the ground. He also knew the moon orbits the Earth.

2. Question: He wondered if the same force that pulls an apple down could also be responsible for keeping the moon in orbit.

3. Universal Gravitation: He realized that the force of gravity doesn't just act on objects on Earth but extends throughout the universe. He proposed the law of universal gravitation, which states that every object attracts every other object with a force proportional to their masses and the distance between them.

4. Moon's Motion: Using his law of universal gravitation, Newton was able to explain the moon's orbit. He calculated that the force of gravity between the Earth and the moon was responsible for keeping the moon in orbit.

So, while the apple didn't directly fall onto the moon, it helped Newton think about the nature of gravity and its universality. The apple represented a local experience of gravity, which led him to realize that gravity was a universal force acting on everything in the universe, including the moon.