A minute of arc, arcminute, or minute arc (MOA), is a unit of angular measurement equal to one sixtieth (1⁄60) of one degree (circle⁄21,600), or (π⁄10,800) radians. In turn, a second of arc or arcsecond is one sixtieth (1⁄60) of one minute of arc. Since one degree is defined as one three hundred and sixtieth (1⁄360) of a rotation, one minute of arc is 1⁄21,600 of a rotation. It is used in those fields which require a unit for the expression of small angles, such as astronomy, optometry, ophthalmology, optics, navigation and marksmanship.
The number of square arcminutes in a complete sphere is
or approximately 148,510,660.498 square arcminutes.
The arcsecond is 1⁄3,600 of a degree, or 1⁄1,296,000 of a circle, or (π⁄648,000) radians, which is approximately 1⁄206,265 radian.
To express even smaller angles, standard SI prefixes can be employed; in particular, the milliarcsecond, abbreviated mas, is used in astronomy.
Read more about Minute Of Arc: Symbols and Abbreviations
Famous quotes containing the words minute of, minute and/or arc:
“I make this in a warring absence when
Each ancient, stone-necked minute of love’s season
Harbours my anchored tongue....”
—Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)
“Artists the minute they set up as artists,
Before, that is, they are themselves accepted,
And boys the minute they get out of college.
I can’t help thinking those are tests to go by.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“Male urination really is a kind of accomplishment, an arc of transcendance. A woman merely waters the ground she stands on.”
—Camille Paglia (b. 1947)