Convert Milliarcseconds to Semicircles
Convert Milliarcseconds (mas) to Semicircles (sc) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
sc = mas × 1.543209877e-9
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 Semicircles
A semicircle equals 1/2 of a full circle - exactly π rad = 180°. GPS and GLONASS transmit satellite orbital elements with latitude and longitude in semicircles, maximising angular resolution within 32-bit signed integers: ±2³¹ units span ±π rad with ~1.46 × 10⁻⁹ rad resolution per unit. Euler's identity e^(iπ) + 1 = 0 encodes exactly 1 semicircle of rotation in the complex plane, mapping 1 to -1 - often called the most beautiful equation in mathematics. 1 semicircle = π rad = 180° = 200 grad = 3,200 NATO mils.
Quick Reference Table
| Milliarcseconds (mas) | Semicircles (sc) |
|---|---|
| 1 mas | 1.543 × 10-9 sc |
| 2 mas | 3.086 × 10-9 sc |
| 5 mas | 7.716 × 10-9 sc |
| 10 mas | 1.543 × 10-8 sc |
| 25 mas | 3.858 × 10-8 sc |
| 50 mas | 7.716 × 10-8 sc |
| 100 mas | 1.543 × 10-7 sc |