How long does it take the Moon to orbit Earth?

The Moon takes about 27.3 days to orbit Earth once. This period is called a sidereal month. However, because Earth is also moving around the Sun, it takes about 29.5 days for the Moon to go through all its phases—from new moon to full moon and back again. That’s known as a lunar month. The Moon’s orbit is not a perfect circle—it’s slightly oval, so sometimes it’s closer to Earth (perigee) and sometimes farther (apogee). This orbit controls tides and affects how bright and large the Moon appears from Earth.