Convert Sextants to Centesimal Seconds
Convert Sextants (sxt) to Centesimal Seconds (c″) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
c″ = sxt × 666666.6667
About Sextants
A sextant, as an angle unit, equals 1/6 of a full circle - π/3 rad = exactly 60°. The marine sextant (invented ~1730s by John Hadley and Thomas Godfrey) measures the altitude between a celestial body and the horizon; its 60° arc gives 120° measurement range via double reflection. The 60° angle is geometrically fundamental: equilateral triangles, regular hexagons, hexagonal crystal structures, and sp²-hybridised carbon (benzene, graphene) all exhibit 60° symmetry. 1 sextant = 60° = π/3 rad = 100 grad.
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
| Sextants (sxt) | Centesimal Seconds (c″) |
|---|---|
| 1 sxt | 666667 c″ |
| 2 sxt | 1333330 c″ |
| 5 sxt | 3333330 c″ |
| 10 sxt | 6666670 c″ |
| 25 sxt | 16666700 c″ |
| 50 sxt | 33333300 c″ |
| 100 sxt | 66666700 c″ |