minute of arc
Noun
Meaning
a unit of angular distance equal to a 60th of a degree
Source: WordNetSynonyms
Hypernyms
Examples
At sea level one minute of arc along the equator or a meridian (indeed, any great circle ) equals approximately (within a third of a percent) one Nautical mile (convert).
A nautical mile was historically defined as a minute of arc along a great circle of the Earth.
In the example previously given, for 1 minute of arc, and substituting 3,600 inches for 100 yards, 3,600 tan() ≈ 1.047 inches.
Gunter used Snell's circumference to define a nautical mile as 6,080 feet, the length of one minute of arc at 48 degrees latitude.
Assuming 20/20 vision, the resolution of the eyes is about one minute of arc.
His suggestion was that a unit, the milliare, be defined as a minute of arc along a meridian.