* Sidereal Month: This is the time it takes for the Moon to complete one full orbit around the Earth relative to the stars. It is approximately 27.3 days.
* Synodic Month: This is the time it takes for the Moon to complete one full cycle of phases (from new moon to full moon and back to new moon). It is approximately 29.5 days.
The reason for the difference between the sidereal and synodic months is that the Earth is also moving in its orbit around the Sun. As the Moon orbits the Earth, the Earth is also moving, so the Moon needs to travel slightly further to catch up to the same position relative to the Sun.