Convert Milliarcseconds to Degrees
Convert Milliarcseconds (mas) to Degrees (°) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
° = mas × 2.777777778e-7
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 Degrees
The degree (°) is the most widely used angle unit in everyday life, tracing to Babylonian astronomy ~300 BCE - the ecliptic was divided into 360 parts because the sexagesimal base-60 system made 360 highly divisible (by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20). Each degree divides into 60 arcminutes and 3,600 arcseconds. The degree dominates practical work: compass bearings, geographic coordinates (latitude ±90°, longitude ±180°), wind direction, polygon angles, and engineering drawings. Calculus uses radians because sin(x) ≈ x only holds in radians. 1° = π/180 rad ≈ 17.453 mrad.
Quick Reference Table
| Milliarcseconds (mas) | Degrees (°) |
|---|---|
| 1 mas | 2.778 × 10-7 ° |
| 2 mas | 5.556 × 10-7 ° |
| 5 mas | 1.389 × 10-6 ° |
| 10 mas | 2.778 × 10-6 ° |
| 25 mas | 6.944 × 10-6 ° |
| 50 mas | 1.389 × 10-5 ° |
| 100 mas | 2.778 × 10-5 ° |