The moon takes approximately 27.3 days to complete one orbit around the Earth. This period is known as the sidereal month. However, it's important to note that this value refers to the time it takes for the moon to complete a full orbit relative to the stars.

Due to the Earth's orbit around the sun, the moon also needs to catch up to the sun before completing a full lunar cycle. This additional time is called the synodic month, and it takes about 29.5 days. The synodic month is the time between two identical phases of the moon, such as from one full moon to the next.

It's interesting to see how the moon's orbit affects its visible phases from Earth. As the moon orbits the Earth, different portions of its illuminated side become visible, creating the well-known lunar phases. These phases, such as new moon, first quarter, full moon, and third quarter, occur approximately every 7.4 days.

References:

1. Time and Date - Moon Orbit
2. NASA - Earth's Moon: By the Numbers