Convert Milliarcseconds to NATO Angular Mils
Convert Milliarcseconds (mas) to NATO Angular Mils (mil (NATO)) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
mil (NATO) = mas × 4.938271605e-6
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 NATO Angular Mils
The NATO angular mil equals 1/6,400 of a full circle - π/3,200 rad ≈ 0.9817 mrad. Artillery and mortar crews rely on its practical small-angle equivalence: 1 mil at 1,000 m subtends ~1 m (exact: 0.9817 m), enabling rapid range correction calculations. The 6,400-mil circle divides cleanly: 1,600 mils = 90°, 3,200 mils = 180°. Note: 1 NATO mil ≈ 0.9817 mrad - not the same as a milliradian; the 1.8% difference equals ~18 mm at 1,000 m. 1° ≈ 17.778 NATO mils.
Quick Reference Table
| Milliarcseconds (mas) | NATO Angular Mils (mil (NATO)) |
|---|---|
| 1 mas | 4.938 × 10-6 mil (NATO) |
| 2 mas | 9.877 × 10-6 mil (NATO) |
| 5 mas | 2.469 × 10-5 mil (NATO) |
| 10 mas | 4.938 × 10-5 mil (NATO) |
| 25 mas | 0.000123457 mil (NATO) |
| 50 mas | 0.000246914 mil (NATO) |
| 100 mas | 0.000493827 mil (NATO) |