During the period each year when we see Mars undergoing apparent retrograde motion in our sky, what is really?

During the period each year when we see Mars undergoing apparent retrograde motion in our sky, what is really going on in space?



A. Mars is moving around the Sun in the opposite direction from which Earth is moving around the Sun.

B. Earth and Mars are getting closer together.

C. Earth is catching up with and passing by Mars in their respective orbits.

D. Earth and Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun.During the period each year when we see Mars undergoing apparent retrograde motion in our sky, what is really?I think it's C. Earth is passing by faster than Mars' rotationary period.During the period each year when we see Mars undergoing apparent retrograde motion in our sky, what is really?C.

Yes, it is just because we observers on Earth also are riding in the mean time around the Sun, so these are changing directions of viewing for us where the planet could be seen projected on the star sky. Yes, this 'false retrograde' motion happens when the faster Earth is catching and passing the slower Mars while both are riding around Sun.