Convert Arcminutes to Degrees
Arcminutes to degrees is the conversion you reach for in astronomy, navigation, and optics, where small angles are measured in arcminutes but the big picture is in degrees. An arcminute is one 60th of a degree, so to go the other way you divide the number of arcminutes by 60 — 90 arcminutes is exactly 1.5 degrees.
Arcminutes to Degrees conversion table
| Arcminutes (′) | Degrees (°) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.016667 |
| 2 | 0.033333 |
| 3 | 0.05 |
| 5 | 0.083333 |
| 10 | 0.166667 |
| 20 | 0.333333 |
| 50 | 0.833333 |
| 100 | 1.666667 |
| 500 | 8.333333 |
| 1,000 | 16.666667 |
The formula
To convert arcminutes to degrees, divide the number of arcminutes by 60 (since 60 arcminutes make one degree):
degrees = arcminutes ÷ 60
A worked example
Say you have 90 arcminutes and want it in degrees:
90 ÷ 60 = 1.5°
So 90 arcminutes is exactly 1.5 degrees.
Why it's an approximation
The clean way to do this is to divide by 60, and for tidy values it lands exactly — 90 arcminutes is exactly 1.5 degrees. The wrinkle only shows up if you try to write it as a single multiply-by factor: one arcminute is 1/60 of a degree, which as a decimal is 0.0166667°, a repeating decimal that never fully settles. That factor is rounded, so multiplying by it can leave a tiny remainder. Dividing by 60 sidesteps that and keeps clean values exact.
When you'll use it
Reading a telescope or star chart where object sizes are given in arcminutes, working through a navigation problem, or checking an optics spec and turning it back into whole degrees.
Frequently asked questions
How many arcminutes are in a degree?
Exactly 60. An arcminute is defined as one 60th of a degree, the same way a minute is one 60th of an hour — so 60 arcminutes make one degree, with nothing rounded.
How do I convert arcminutes to degrees?
Divide the number of arcminutes by 60. For example, 90 arcminutes ÷ 60 = 1.5 degrees. Because there are 60 arcminutes in a degree, dividing by 60 is exact for clean values.
What is an arcminute used for?
Arcminutes measure small angles in astronomy, navigation, and optics — the apparent size of a planet, a bearing at sea, or the resolution of a lens. There are 21,600 arcminutes in a full circle.