Arcminute to Arcsecond Converter

An arcminute (′) is a unit of angular measurement equal to 1/60 of a degree. It provides finer precision than degrees for measuring small angles, particularly useful in astronomy and navigation.

Arcminutes developed from the Babylonian base-60 system, where each degree was subdivided into 60 minutes. The term 'minute' comes from the Latin 'pars minuta prima' meaning 'first small part'. This subdivision system has been used in astronomy and navigation for over 2,000 years.

Arcminutes are extensively used in astronomy for measuring celestial object positions and separations, in surveying for precise land measurements, and in navigation for GPS coordinates. They're also used in optics for measuring angular resolution and in artillery for targeting calculations.

An arcsecond (″) is a unit of angular measurement equal to 1/60 of an arcminute or 1/3600 of a degree. It represents extremely fine angular precision, essential for high-precision measurements.

The arcsecond follows from the continued subdivision of the Babylonian system, where arcminutes were further divided into 60 arcseconds. The term comes from 'pars minuta secunda' meaning 'second small part'. This level of precision became crucial with the development of telescopic astronomy in the 17th century.

Arcseconds are critical in professional astronomy for measuring stellar positions, parallax, and proper motion. They're used in satellite navigation systems, precision surveying, telescope specifications, and astrometry. The Hubble Space Telescope, for example, has angular resolution measured in arcseconds.