Convert Sextants to Turns
Convert Sextants (sxt) to Turns (rev) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
rev = sxt × 0.1666666667
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 Turns
A turn (revolution, cycle) equals one complete rotation - 2π rad = 360° = 400 grad. Rotational speed is naturally measured in turns per minute (rpm): a car engine idles at ~750 rpm; a hard disk spins at 7,200 rpm. The factor 2π in physics formulas (ω = 2πf, E = hf = ħω) arises from converting turns to radians. The turn is the natural unit for gear ratios, transformer winding counts, and thread pitch (turns per inch). The tau convention (τ = 2π ≈ 6.2832) proposes 1τ = 1 full turn. 1 rpm = 1/60 Hz = 2π/60 rad/s ≈ 0.10472 rad/s.
Quick Reference Table
| Sextants (sxt) | Turns (rev) |
|---|---|
| 1 sxt | 0.166667 rev |
| 2 sxt | 0.333333 rev |
| 5 sxt | 0.833333 rev |
| 10 sxt | 1.66667 rev |
| 25 sxt | 4.16667 rev |
| 50 sxt | 8.33333 rev |
| 100 sxt | 16.6667 rev |