About seconds
A degree is divided into 60 minutes, and each minute is further divided into 60 seconds. This means that there are 3,600 seconds in a degree. Seconds of degrees are typically used when a higher level of precision is required, such as in navigation or astronomy. For example, when determining the position of a celestial object, astronomers may need to measure the angle in seconds of degrees to accurately track its movement.
About US WW2 Milliradians
During World War II, milliradians (mils) and radians played a crucial role in various military operations. Milliradians are a unit of angular measurement commonly used in artillery and long-range shooting. They are derived from the concept of a radian, which is the angle subtended at the center of a circle by an arc equal in length to the radius of the circle. A milliradian is equal to one-thousandth of a radian, making it a more precise unit for measuring small angles.
In the context of World War II, milliradians were used extensively by artillery units to calculate the elevation and azimuth angles required to accurately hit targets at long distances. Artillery gunners would use specialized instruments, such as the M2A2 aiming circle, to measure the angle between the target and the gun. By converting this angle into milliradians, gunners could then adjust the elevation and direction of the gun to ensure accurate fire. This was particularly important in situations where targets were located far away or obscured by terrain, as milliradians allowed for precise adjustments to be made, increasing the chances of hitting the target successfully.
There are 4,000 US WW2 milliradians in a full circle.