Degrees to Arcseconds

About Degrees and Arcseconds

Degrees (°): 1/360 of a full turn; the 360-degree division comes from ancient Babylonian astronomy and the convenience of 360 being divisible by many small integers. Common uses: Navigation (compass headings), construction (angle cuts), geometry, geography (latitude and longitude), and almost any practical angle measurement.

Arcseconds (arcsec): 1/60 of an arcminute, or 1/3600 of a degree; the unit for very small angles in astronomy. Common uses: Astronomical resolution (a telescope's resolving power in arcseconds), positional precision of stars, and very fine engineering angle specifications.

How the conversion works

Angles are ratios, not absolute quantities, so the conversion factors are exact. 1 full turn = 360° = 2π rad ≈ 6.2832 rad = 400 gon. 1° = 60 arcminutes = 3,600 arcseconds.

The exact relationship is arcseconds = degrees × 3600, which the calculator at the top of this page applies in both directions. Type into either field and the other updates immediately.

When this conversion matters

Converting between degrees and arcseconds comes up wherever angle measurements move between systems — from one country's conventions to another's, from a scientific reference to a practical specification, or from one industry's working unit to another's. The calculator and reference table above cover the everyday range; for unusual values you can type any number into either field.