monocular

Soviet-made miniature 2.5 × 17.5 monocular.

A monocular is a modified refracting telescope used to magnify the images of distant objects by passing light through a series of lenses and prisms; the use of prisms results in a lightweight telescope. Volume and weight are less than half those of binoculars, making it easy to carry.

Monoculars, sometimes called telescopes when used in this capacity, are often used by visually impaired people to see distant objects that would normally be undiscernable. For example, they are often used to read text on a chalkboard or projection screen.

Besides their use by the visually impaired, they are also used in hunting, survival and espionage. For these specific tasks smaller monoculars are made that fit inside a regular pocket; they are frequently referred to as "pocket scopes".

See also

• Monocle
• Telescope
• Spotting scope
• History of the telescope

References

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