Learn more by clicking the Google or Facebook button below. Population Demographics for Tonasket, Washington in 2016 and 2017. Other Counties and Cities in Washington.
Sidereal Period versus Synodic Period. 1  Measuring the motion of the Moon around the Earth relative to the distant stars leads us to what is called the sidereal period. 2  Measuring the motion of the Moon around the Earth relative to the Sun leads us to what is called the synodic (pronounced si-nod-ik) period.
It is also the length of a sidereal day -- the time it takes the earth to rotate 360Â°. A sidereal day could be measured using fixed stars. In conclusion the actual period of rotation of the earth is 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds or 86,164 seconds.