Periscope, optical instrument used in land and sea warfare, submarine navigation, and

elsewhere to enable an observer to see his surroundings while remaining under cover, behind
armour, or submerged.

Periscope, eyepiece box and observer's station; handles control rotation about the axis, twist
grips provide control of the line-of-sight elevationCourtesy of Kollmorgen Corp.,
Northampton, Mass.

A periscope includes two mirrors or reflecting prisms to change the direction of the light
coming from the scene observed: the first deflects it down through a vertical tube, the second
diverts it horizontally so that the scene can be viewed conveniently. Frequently there is a
telescopic optical system that provides magnification, gives as wide an arc of vision as
possible, and includes a crossline or reticle pattern to establish the line of sight to the object
under observation. There may also be devices for estimating the range and course of the
target in military applications and for photographing through the periscope.

The simplest type of periscope consists of a tube at the ends of which are two mirrors,
parallel to each other but at 45° to the axis of the tube. This device produces no magnification
and does not give a crossline image. The arc of vision is limited by the simple geometry of
the tube: the longer or narrower the tube, the smaller the field of view. Periscopes of this type
were widely used in World War II in tanks and other armoured vehicles as observation
devices for the driver, gunner, and commander. When fitted with a small, auxiliary gunsight
telescope, the tank periscope can also be used in pointing and firing the guns. By employing
tubes of rectangular cross section, wide, horizontal fields of view can be obtained.