Degrees Minutes Seconds to Arc Seconds Calculator

What is Degrees Minutes Seconds to Arc Seconds Conversion?

The degrees-minutes-seconds (DMS) format is a traditional way to represent angles, where:

• 1 degree (°) = 60 minutes (')
• 1 minute (') = 60 seconds (")

Arc seconds are a unit of angular measurement where:

• 1 arc second (″) = 1/3600 of a degree
• 1 degree = 3600 arc seconds

This conversion is essential in fields like astronomy, where small angular differences between celestial objects need precise measurement.

How to Use This Calculator

1. Enter the degrees, minutes, and seconds values in the respective fields
2. Click the "Calculate" button to convert to arc seconds
3. View the result in the output panel
4. Use the "Reset" button to clear all fields

The calculator handles both positive and negative values, which are important for directional measurements.

Conversion Formula

This formula converts each component of the DMS format to arc seconds and sums them together.

Worked Example

Let's convert 45° 30' 15" to arc seconds:

1. Convert degrees to arc seconds: 45 × 3600 = 162,000″
2. Convert minutes to arc seconds: 30 × 60 = 1,800″
3. Add the seconds: 15″
4. Total arc seconds: 162,000 + 1,800 + 15 = 163,815″

Using the calculator, you would enter 45 for degrees, 30 for minutes, and 15 for seconds to get the same result.