Editing Optical telescope (section)

====Apparent====
Apparent field of view (commonly referred to as AFOV) is the perceived angular size of the field stop of the [[eyepiece]], typically measured in [[Degree (angle)|degrees]]. It is a fixed property of the eyepiece's optical design, with common commercially available eyepieces offering a range of apparent fields from 40° to 120°. The apparent field of view of an eyepiece is limited by a combination of the eyepiece's field stop diameter, and focal length, and is independent of magnification used.

In an eyepiece with a very wide apparent field of view, the observer may perceive that the view through the telescope stretches out to their [[peripheral vision]], giving a sensation that they are no longer looking through an eyepiece, or that they are closer to the subject of interest than they really are. In contrast, an eyepiece with a narrow apparent field of view may give the sensation of looking through a tunnel or small porthole window, with the black field stop of the eyepiece occupying most of the observer's vision.

A wider apparent field of view permits the observer to see more of the subject of interest (that is, a wider true field of view) without reducing magnification to do so. However, the relationship between true field of view, apparent field of view, and magnification is not direct, due to increasing distortion characteristics that correlate with wider apparent fields of view. Instead, both true field of view and apparent field of view are consequences of the eyepiece's field stop diameter.

Apparent field of view differs from true field of view in so far as true field of view varies with magnification, whereas apparent field of view does not. The wider field stop of a wide angle eyepiece permits the viewing of a wider section of the [[real image]] formed at the telescope's focal plane, thus impacting the calculated true field of view.

An eyepiece's apparent field of view can influence total view brightness as perceived by the eye, since the apparent angular size of the field stop will determine how much of the observer's retina is illuminated by the [[exit pupil]] formed by the eyepiece. However, apparent field of view has no impact on the apparent [[surface brightness]] (that is, brightness per unit area) of objects contained within the field of view.