<P> The Moon orbits Earth in the prograde direction and completes one revolution relative to the stars in about 27.322 days ( a sidereal month ) and one revolution relative to the Sun in about 29.530 days ( a synodic month ) . Earth and the Moon orbit about their barycentre ( common center of mass ) , which lies about 4,600 km ( 2,900 mi ) from Earth 's center ( about 3 / 4 of the radius of Earth ) . On average , the distance to the Moon is about 385,000 km ( 239,000 mi ) from Earth 's center , which corresponds to about 60 Earth radii . With a mean orbital velocity of 1.022 km / s ( 2,290 mph ) , the Moon covers a distance approximately its diameter , or about half a degree on the celestial sphere , each hour . The Moon differs from most satellites of other planets in that its orbit is close to the ecliptic plane instead of that of its primary ( in this case , the Earth 's equatorial plane ) . The Moon 's orbital plane is inclined by about 5.1 ° to the ecliptic plane , whereas the Moon 's equatorial plane is tilted by only 1.5 ° . </P>
<P> The Moon orbits Earth in the prograde direction and completes one revolution relative to the stars in about 27.322 days ( a sidereal month ) and one revolution relative to the Sun in about 29.530 days ( a synodic month ) . Earth and the Moon orbit about their barycentre ( common center of mass ) , which lies about 4,600 km ( 2,900 mi ) from Earth 's center ( about 3 / 4 of the radius of Earth ) . On average , the distance to the Moon is about 385,000 km ( 239,000 mi ) from Earth 's center , which corresponds to about 60 Earth radii . With a mean orbital velocity of 1.022 km / s ( 2,290 mph ) , the Moon covers a distance approximately its diameter , or about half a degree on the celestial sphere , each hour . The Moon differs from most satellites of other planets in that its orbit is close to the ecliptic plane instead of that of its primary ( in this case , the Earth 's equatorial plane ) . The Moon 's orbital plane is inclined by about 5.1 ° to the ecliptic plane , whereas the Moon 's equatorial plane is tilted by only 1.5 ° . </P>
what is the movement of the moon around the earth called
what is the movement of the moon around the earth called
its orbit
its orbit