Convert Degrees to Arcseconds
Convert Degrees to Arcseconds instantly. 1 Degree (°) equals 3,600 Arcseconds (″).
Degrees to Arcseconds conversion table
| Degrees (°) | Arcseconds (″) |
|---|---|
| 1 ° | 3,600 ″ |
| 2 ° | 7,200 ″ |
| 3 ° | 10,800 ″ |
| 5 ° | 18,000 ″ |
| 10 ° | 36,000 ″ |
| 20 ° | 72,000 ″ |
| 50 ° | 180,000 ″ |
| 100 ° | 360,000 ″ |
| 500 ° | 1,800,000 ″ |
| 1,000 ° | 3,600,000 ″ |
1 Degree = 3,600 Arcseconds · multiply Degrees by 3,600
About converting Degrees to Arcseconds
Degrees (°) and Arcseconds (″) are both units of angle, so converting between them is a single multiplication: multiply your Degrees figure by 3,600. Ten Degrees comes to 36,000 Arcseconds, and a hundred works out at 360,000 Arcseconds.
Rule of thumb: going from Degrees to Arcseconds multiplies, so the figure always grows — one Degree is already 3,600 Arcseconds. If your answer came out smaller, you have the conversion the wrong way round.
What is a Degree?
The degree is the everyday unit of angle, and its division of the circle into 360 parts comes from Babylonian astronomy and the base-60 arithmetic that came with it. The number survived because it is unreasonably convenient: 360 divides evenly by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12, so halves, thirds, quarters, fifths and sixths of a circle are all whole numbers of degrees. Nothing about it is natural or mathematically necessary — it is a human choice that stuck for thousands of years because the arithmetic is painless. Like the hectare, it is not an SI unit but is accepted for use with SI.
What is an Arcsecond?
The arcsecond is a sixtieth of an arcminute, and it is where angle measurement becomes astronomy. The apparent width of a planet, the separation of a double star and the resolving power of a telescope are all quoted in arcseconds, and Earth’s atmosphere smears ground-based images to roughly an arcsecond of "seeing" — which is precisely why observatories go up mountains and telescopes go into orbit. It is a startlingly small angle: about what a coin subtends from several kilometers away. Precision optics, satellite pointing and surveying instruments all work in arcseconds or finer.
To put both in perspective: a right angle is 90 degrees, while atmospheric blur limits most ground telescopes to about one arcsecond.
The converter above updates as you type, and the table lists common values for quick reference. Need the opposite direction? Use the Arcseconds to Degrees converter, or browse all Angle converters.
Frequently asked questions
How many Arcseconds are in one Degree?
There are 3,600 Arcseconds in one Degree.
How do I convert Degrees to Arcseconds?
Multiply the number of Degrees by 3,600. For example, 10 Degrees = 36,000 Arcseconds.
What is 100 Degrees in Arcseconds?
100 Degrees is equal to 360,000 Arcseconds.
How do I convert Arcseconds to Degrees?
Multiply the Arcseconds value by 0.0002778 (or divide by 3,600).
Is this Degrees to Arcseconds conversion exact?
The definition is exact — Degrees and Arcseconds are both fixed against the same base by international agreement — but the decimal shown here is rounded for readability, because the true ratio does not terminate. For engineering or scientific work, carry more decimal places than this page displays.
What is a Degree?
The degree is the everyday unit of angle, and its division of the circle into 360 parts comes from Babylonian astronomy and the base-60 arithmetic that came with it. The number survived because it is unreasonably convenient: 360 divides evenly by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12, so halves, thirds, quarters, fifths and sixths of a circle are all whole numbers of degrees. Nothing about it is natural or mathematically necessary — it is a human choice that stuck for thousands of years because the arithmetic is painless. Like the hectare, it is not an SI unit but is accepted for use with SI.
What is an Arcsecond?
The arcsecond is a sixtieth of an arcminute, and it is where angle measurement becomes astronomy. The apparent width of a planet, the separation of a double star and the resolving power of a telescope are all quoted in arcseconds, and Earth’s atmosphere smears ground-based images to roughly an arcsecond of "seeing" — which is precisely why observatories go up mountains and telescopes go into orbit. It is a startlingly small angle: about what a coin subtends from several kilometers away. Precision optics, satellite pointing and surveying instruments all work in arcseconds or finer.