Question

What is the difference between a synodic period and a sidereal period? What is the difference between a synodic month and a sidereal month?

Answer 1

Synodic period of a solar planet is the period of one Sun-centric revolution. Sidereal period is with reference to stars' configuration.
For the Moon, these are for the Moon's Earth-centric orbit..

Explanation:

Lunar synodic month ( 29.53 days) is longer than the sidereal month (27.32 days ).
Synodic month is the period between two consecutive transits of the revolving-about-Sun heliocentric longitudinal plane of the Earth, from the same side of Earth with respect to Sun ( usually referred to as conjunction/opposition ). .