Convert Minutes (') to Degrees (°)
1 minute equals 0.0166667 degrees.
Minute to Degree Converter
What Is an Arcminute?
The arcminute (′ or arcmin) is a unit of angular measurement equal to 1/60 of a degree. It is used in celestial navigation, land surveying, telescope optics, and GPS coordinates (DMS format: degrees°minutes′seconds″). One arcminute of latitude on Earth corresponds to approximately 1 nautical mile (1.852 km).
What Is a Degree?
The degree (°) is the most common unit of angular measurement, equal to 1/360 of a full rotation. It originates from Babylonian astronomy (~2000 BCE), where the year was approximated as 360 days. One degree equals 60 arcminutes or 3,600 arcseconds.
Arcminutes to Degrees Formula
The conversion is exact by definition:
degrees = arcminutes ÷ 60
Since 1° = 60′ exactly, this is the same division-by-60 relationship as seconds-to-minutes in time — both inherited from the Babylonian base-60 system.
Worked Example
Convert 150 arcminutes to degrees:
- Divide: 150 ÷ 60 = 2.5° (2 degrees 30 minutes)
Common Arcminutes to Degrees Conversions
| Arcminutes | Degrees | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1′ | 0.01667° | Human eye resolution limit |
| 5′ | 0.08333° | Binocular resolving power |
| 10′ | 0.1667° | Typical GPS accuracy (civilian) |
| 15′ | 0.25° | Quarter degree — common map grid |
| 30′ | 0.5° | Half degree — Sun/Moon apparent diameter |
| 60′ | 1° | Exact — by definition |
| 90′ | 1.5° | Surveying bearing precision |
| 180′ | 3° | Compass reading precision (hand-held) |
| 360′ | 6° | Wide-field telescope eyepiece FOV |
| 600′ | 10° | Binocular field of view (typical) |
Arcminutes in Astronomy
Arcminutes are essential for describing angular sizes in the sky. The Moon's apparent diameter is about 31 arcminutes (0.52°). The human eye can resolve details down to about 1 arcminute — the basis for the 20/20 vision standard. The Hubble Space Telescope resolves 0.05 arcseconds (0.0008′), about 1,200× sharper than the naked eye.
When You Need This Conversion
- GPS coordinates: DMS format uses degrees, minutes, seconds (e.g., 40°26′46″N). Converting to decimal degrees: 26′ = 26/60 = 0.4333°, so 40°26′ ≈ 40.433°.
- Land surveying: Property boundaries are described in degrees and minutes. A bearing of N45°30′E means 45.5° east of north.
- Telescope pointing: Star catalogs list positions in hours/minutes/seconds (RA) and degrees/arcminutes/arcseconds (Dec).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many minutes are in a degree?
Exactly 60 arcminutes. This is the same base-60 relationship as time (60 seconds in a minute).
What is an arcminute?
An arcminute (′) is 1/60 of a degree of arc. It measures angles, not time. The notation uses a single prime (′) to distinguish from time minutes.
How do I convert DMS to decimal degrees?
Decimal = degrees + (minutes ÷ 60) + (seconds ÷ 3600). Example: 40°26′46″ = 40 + 26/60 + 46/3600 = 40.4461°.
How far is 1 arcminute on Earth's surface?
1 arcminute of latitude ≈ 1 nautical mile (1.852 km or 1.151 statute miles). This is the origin of the nautical mile definition.
Common Minute to Degree Conversions
| Minute | Degree | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 minute | 0.0166667 degrees | |
| 5 minutes | 112 degrees | |
| 10 minutes | 16 degrees | |
| 25 minutes | 0.416667 degrees |
| Minute | Degree | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 50 minutes | 0.833333 degrees | |
| 100 minutes | 1 23 degrees | |
| 500 minutes | 8 13 degrees | |
| 1000 minutes | 16.6667 degrees |
Minutes to degrees Conversion Table
Reference table with common minutes to degrees conversions. All values calculated with high precision.
Minutes to Degrees Table
100 to 10000000
Looking for the reverse? Convert Degree to Minute
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