def hms2deg(x):
    """Transform *hours:minutes:seconds* strings to degrees.

    Parameters
    ----------
    x : str
        The input angle, written in the form, hours:minutes:seconds

    Returns
    -------
    out : float
        The angle as a number of degrees.

    """
    from astropy.coordinates import Angle
    ac = Angle(x, unit='hour')
    deg = float(ac.to_string(unit='degree', decimal=True))
    return deg
