The sidereal period of a planet is defined as the time between two successive
A) passages of the planet in front of a particular point in the sky (e.g., a star) as seen from the Sun.
B) passages of the planet in front of a particular point in the sky (e.g., a star) as seen from Earth.
C) identical configurations (e.g., opposition to opposition).
D) greatest elongations (e.g., greatest western elongation to greatest eastern elongation).

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sidereal period of a planet is the time it takes to orbit the Sun and return to the same position against the background stars as seen from the Sun, not from Earth. This definition focuses on the planet's movement relative to distant stars, rather than its position as observed from Earth or its configuration in relation to the Sun and Earth.

The Sidereal Period of a Planet Is Defined as the Time