How many arcseconds are in one degree?

There are exactly 3600 arcseconds in one degree (60 arcminutes per degree × 60 arcseconds per arcminute = 3600).

What is an arcsecond used for?

Arcseconds are used in astronomy to measure very small angles, such as the angular diameter of planets, stellar parallax, and telescope pointing precision. They also appear in geodesy and high-accuracy GPS positioning.

How do I convert arcseconds to decimal degrees?

Divide the number of arcseconds by 3600. For example, 7200 arcseconds ÷ 3600 = 2.0000°.

What is the difference between decimal degrees and DMS?

Decimal degrees express the full angle as a single number (e.g. 1.5°), while DMS (degrees, arcminutes, arcseconds) splits it into three parts (e.g. 1° 30′ 0″). Both represent the same angle.

Can I convert negative arcseconds?

Yes. Negative arcseconds represent angles in the opposite direction (e.g. south of the equator or west of a reference). The converter handles negative input correctly.

Arcseconds to Degrees Converter

Convert arcseconds to decimal degrees instantly — 3600 arcseconds equals exactly 1 degree.

Arcseconds (″)

Enter any value — positive or negative

Quick examples

Degrees (°)

Decimal degrees

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Degrees, arcminutes, arcseconds

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degrees (°)

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arcminutes (′)

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arcseconds (″)

Common Reference Values

Arcseconds (″)	Decimal Degrees (°)	DMS
1	0.000278°	0° 0′ 1″
60	0.016667°	0° 1′ 0″
3600	1.000000°	1° 0′ 0″
18000	5.000000°	5° 0′ 0″
324000	90.000000°	90° 0′ 0″
648000	180.000000°	180° 0′ 0″
1296000	360.000000°	360° 0′ 0″

Summary

An arcsecond is 1/3600 of a degree, making it a very fine unit of angular measurement. This converter takes any value in arcseconds and returns the equivalent in decimal degrees using the exact ratio: degrees = arcseconds / 3600. It also shows the DMS (degrees, arcminutes, arcseconds) breakdown for reference.

How it works

Enter a value in arcseconds into the input field.
The converter divides your value by 3600 to get decimal degrees.
The DMS breakdown is shown: whole degrees, remaining arcminutes, and leftover arcseconds.
Copy the result with one click.

Use cases

Convert telescope pointing coordinates from arcseconds to degrees.
Convert GPS accuracy values (often expressed in arcseconds) to degrees.
Work with star catalog data that lists positions in arcseconds.
Prepare survey angle data for GIS software that expects decimal degrees.
Check angular separation between celestial objects.
Convert astrometric parallax values to degree-based coordinates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-19 · Reviewed by Nham Vu