A geostationary satellite orbits the Earth at a specific altitude (approximately 35,786 kilometers above the equator) and follows the Earth's rotation. For a satellite to appear stationary from a point on the Earth's surface, its orbital period must be exactly equal to the Earth's sidereal rotation period, which is about 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds. For practical purposes and standard options, this is typically rounded to 24 hours. This synchronization allows the satellite to remain over the same geographic location on the equator.