Question

Explain the difference between the synodic period of a planet and the sidereal period. why is the synodic period often much less than the sidereal period for the superior planets?

Answer 1

-Synodic period is the period of celestial bodies observed on the moving planet(mostly earth)
Sideral period is the period comparing to the fixed stars without motion of the earth involved.

(I will explain the second question with an example, so it's easier to understand)
-For Sideral month for example of the moon it cactually complete one revolution in around 27.3 days.
However, since the earth moves, for us it took some more time to see the moon the same as before (fullmoon to fullmoon) again. That make synodic month of the moon to be around 29.5 days.