Convert Milliarcseconds to Centesimal Seconds

Convert Milliarcseconds (mas) to Centesimal Seconds (c″) instantly and accurately.

Conversion Formula

c″ = mas × 0.003086419753

About Milliarcseconds

A milliarcsecond (mas) is one thousandth of an arcsecond - approximately 4.848 × 10⁻⁹ rad. It is the standard unit of precision astrometry. The ESA Hipparcos satellite measured stellar positions to ~1 mas; its successor Gaia achieves 7-100 µas for bright stars. A parallax of 1 mas corresponds to a distance of 1 kiloparsec (3,260 light-years). Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) resolves well below 1 mas, imaging structures around supermassive black holes. 1 mas = 10⁻³ arcseconds ≈ 4.848 × 10⁻⁹ rad.

About Centesimal Seconds

A centesimal second (c″) is 1/10,000 of a gradian - exactly π/2,000,000 rad ≈ 1.5708 × 10⁻⁶ rad. In the gradian hierarchy, 1 right angle = 100 grad = 10,000 c′ = 1,000,000 c″. High-precision total stations calibrated in gons report to 0.1-1 c″, equivalent to ~0.0324 arcseconds. Used in French, Dutch, Swiss, and Scandinavian cadastral surveys. DIN 1313 designates 10 c″ = 1 milligon (mgon). 1 c″ ≈ 0.324″ sexagesimal = π/2,000,000 rad.

Quick Reference Table

→ Full Angle Converter