True Field of View Calculator

How much sky an eyepiece actually shows: true field = apparent field ÷ magnification, in degrees and arcminutes, with a Moon comparison.

True field of view
-
Magnification
-
Fits across the field
-

True field ≈ apparent field ÷ magnification. A 50° eyepiece at 120x shows 0.42° of sky, a bit less than one full Moon (0.52°). Wide-angle eyepieces (68-100° apparent) show proportionally more. The eyepiece field-stop method is slightly more exact, but this classic estimate is within a few percent.

Frequently asked questions

What is true field of view?

The actual patch of sky visible in the eyepiece. Estimate it by dividing the eyepiece's apparent field by the magnification: a 50° eyepiece at 120x shows about 0.42°, roughly 25 arcminutes.

What is apparent field of view?

The angular size of the visible circle inside the eyepiece itself, printed on the barrel: Plössls are typically 50-52°, wide-angles 68-82°, ultra-wides up to 100°. Bigger apparent field means more sky at the same magnification.

How big are common targets?

The full Moon is about 0.52°, the Pleiades about 2°, the Andromeda galaxy about 3° long. For large objects you need a low-power, wide-field combination; this calculator tells you if the target fits.