Arcsecond to Degree Converter
Convert arcsecond to degree instantly. 1 arcsecond = 0.000278 degree.
Arcsecond to Degree Table
| Arcsecond | Degree |
|---|---|
| 1 " | 0.000278 ° |
| 5 " | 0.001389 ° |
| 10 " | 0.002778 ° |
| 30 " | 0.008333 ° |
| 45 " | 0.0125 ° |
| 90 " | 0.025 ° |
| 180 " | 0.05 ° |
| 360 " | 0.1 ° |
Related Conversions
Quick Answer
Formula: Degree = Arcsecond × 0.0002778
Multiply any arcsecond value by 0.0002778 to get degree.
Reverse: Arcsecond = Degree × 3600
Worked Examples
Arcsecond to Degree Conversion Table
Common arcsecond values — factor: 1 ″ = 0.0002778 °
| Arcsecond (″) | Degree (°) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ″ | 0.0002778 ° | 1″ — star parallax |
| 5 ″ | 0.001389 ° | 5″ |
| 10 ″ | 0.002778 ° | 10″ |
| 30 ″ | 0.008333 ° | 0.5′ |
| 60 ″ | 0.01667 ° | 1′ |
| 300 ″ | 0.08333 ° | 5′ |
| 600 ″ | 0.1667 ° | 10′ |
| 1800 ″ | 0.5 ° | 30′ |
| 3600 ″ | 1 ° | 1° |
| 1.08e+04 ″ | 3 ° | 3° |
| 2.16e+04 ″ | 6 ° | 6° |
| 4.32e+04 ″ | 12 ° | 12° |
| 8.64e+04 ″ | 24 ° | 24° |
| 3.24e+05 ″ | 90 ° | 90° right angle |
| 1.296e+06 ″ | 360 ° | 360° |
Mental Math Tricks
Arcseconds ÷ 3,600 = degrees. Exact.
3,600″ = 1°, 60″ = 1′.
Degrees × 3,600 = arcseconds.
Who Uses This Conversion?
Measures stellar parallax in arcseconds to determine distances to nearby stars.
Designs positioning systems where 1 arcsecond of latitude ≈ 30 meters on Earth.
Specifies pointing accuracy and tracking error in arcseconds for precision instruments.
Measures Earth's polar precession (50 arcsec/year) and tidal deformation.
Achieves sub-arcsecond resolution with VLBI radio telescope arrays.
Maintains spacecraft pointing accuracy measured in arcseconds.
Related Conversions
Frequently Asked Questions
About Arcsecond and Degree
Arcsecond (″)
The arcsecond (″) is 1/3600 of a degree or 1/60 of an arcminute. It is the standard unit for precise astronomical measurements, astrometry, and geodesy.
Stellar parallax — the apparent shift of nearby stars due to Earth's orbital motion — is measured in arcseconds. The parsec (parallax arcsecond) is defined as the distance at which 1 AU subtends 1 arcsecond. GPS systems achieve precision of a few centimeters, corresponding to fractions of an arcsecond.
Interesting fact: The closest star (Proxima Centauri) has a parallax of just 0.7687 arcseconds. The Hubble Space Telescope can resolve features as small as 0.05 arcseconds. Earth's polar precession moves at about 50 arcseconds per year.
Degree (°)
The degree (°) divides a full circle into 360 equal parts. This system traces back to ancient Babylonian astronomy, which used a base-60 (sexagesimal) number system. The choice of 360 is practical: it is divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 24, 30, 36, 40, 45, 60, 72, 90, and 120.
Degrees remain the dominant angle unit in everyday life, navigation, surveying, and most engineering disciplines. Compass bearings, latitude and longitude, and architectural drawings all use degrees.
Interesting fact: The Babylonians may have chosen 360 because they approximated the solar year as 360 days, making each day of travel correspond to one degree of the Sun's apparent annual motion around the sky.
About Arcsecond to Degree Conversion
Converting arcsecond to degree is essential in mathematics, physics, engineering, and surveying. Degrees are used in everyday contexts and navigation; radians are the standard in calculus and physics; gradians are common in European surveying. Having accurate conversions ensures correct results across disciplines.
Key reference: a right angle (90°) = 90 °. A full circle (360°) = 360 °. Reverse: 1 ° = 3600 ″. Exact factor: 1 ″ = 0.0002778 °.
All conversions use IEEE 754 double-precision arithmetic, accurate to at least 8 significant figures.