Retrograde motion causes the planets to
A) rise in the west and set in the east.
B) move westward with respect to the stars.
C) move at the same rate as the stars.
D) move eastward with respect to the stars.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Retrograde motion is an apparent change in the movement of a planet through the sky. It is not real motion but rather an illusion caused by the Earth passing the slower moving outer planets. During retrograde motion, a planet appears to move westward with respect to the stars, rather than the usual eastward motion.

Retrograde Motion Causes the Planets to