Timing and cycles
Synodic Cycle
Direct answer
Synodic Cycle is the cycle between repeated alignments of two bodies as seen from Earth.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Transits & Cycles
- Related
- Birth Chart, Zodiac, Transit
Synodic Cycle means the cycle between repeated alignments of two bodies as seen from Earth.
The orbit map distinguishes physical bodies, calculated points, and symbolic cycles where possible.
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What sets Synodic Cycle apart
A synodic cycle is counted from one alignment of two bodies to the next as seen from where we stand, so it includes the motion of the observer's own vantage. That is why it is longer than a body's own trip around the zodiac. Mars needs about 687 days to circle the zodiac but about 780 days to return to the same Sun relationship, because the Sun and we both keep moving. The lunar month of 29.53 days is the Moon's synodic cycle.
- Moon and Sun: 29.53 days from new Moon to new Moon
- Mercury: about 116 days between conjunctions with the Sun
- Venus: about 584 days, five of which fit almost exactly into eight years
- Mars: about 780 days, against 687 days to circle the zodiac
- Jupiter and Saturn: about 19.9 years from one great conjunction to the next
Often mistaken for something else: The sidereal period is a planet's own circuit against the stars; the synodic period is the time between meetings with another body.
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Why Synodic Cycle matters
Synodic Cycle matters because it gives planetary timing a relationship rhythm such as conjunction to conjunction.
Where readings of Synodic Cycle go wrong
A common error is to confuse synodic cycles with orbital periods.
What does Synodic Cycle mean for you?
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Sources and editorial method
This entry summarizes the tradition in the Almanac's own words; where no source is listed, it is an editorial summary rather than a primary text, and symbolic readings are named as the tradition's, not as fact.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Transits & Cycles
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
Related terms
More in Transits & Cycles
- Transit Trigger
- Waxing Moon
- Direct Motion
- Jupiter Cycle
- Mansions of the Moon
- Outer Planet Transit
- Post-Shadow Period
- Saturn Cycle
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Common questions
What is a synodic cycle?
Synodic Cycle is the cycle between repeated alignments of two bodies as seen from Earth.
What does a synodic cycle look like in a birth chart?
Synodic Cycle gives planetary timing a relationship rhythm such as conjunction to conjunction.
What do people get wrong about a synodic cycle?
A common error is to confuse synodic cycles with orbital periods.
