Minute and second of arc arcminutes and arcseconds to measure angles when the object being measured is too small for direct visual inspection. For instance, a toolmaker's optical comparator will often include an option to measure in "minutes and seconds". Minute and second of arc A minute of arc, arcminute (arcmin), arc minute, or minute arc is a unit of angular measurement equal to of one degree. Since one degree is of a turn (or complete rotation), one minute of arc is of a turn – it is for this reason that the Earth's circumference is almost exactly 21,600 nautical miles. A minute of arc
History of longitude European and North American longitude measurement campaigns in the 1850s and 1860s, resulting in improved map accuracy and navigation safety. Synchronization by radio followed in the early 20th century. In the 1970s, the use of satellites was developed to more precisely measure geographic coordinates (GPS). In the process of searching for a solution to the problem of determining longitude, many scientists added to the knowledge of astronomy and physics. History of longitude The history of longitude is a record of the effort, by astronomers, cartographers and navigators over several centuries, to discover a means of determining longitude. The measurement of