Illuminating apparatus for an operating microscope

An illuminating apparatus for an operating microscope, the microscope having two observation beam paths for a first observer and another two observation beam paths for a second observer, the illuminating apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system configured to provide two parallel illumination beams;
• and
• a deflecting device, arranged to deflect the two parallel illumination beams onto an object that is to be observed, wherein the deflecting device includes a first deflecting element associated with a first observation beam path for the first observer and a first observation beam path for the second observer, and a second deflecting element associated with a second observation beam path for the first observer and a second observation beam path for the second observer, wherein a horizontal projection of the first deflecting element essentially overlaps the first observation beam path for the first observer and the first observation beam path for the second observer, and a horizontal projection of the second deflecting element essentially overlaps the second observation beam path for the first observer and the second observation beam path for the second observer.