Abstract: An optical device is positioned to receive an image and to deflect it into separate portions onto the mutually spaced photosensitive surfaces of an array of staring array detectors (2a, 2b). The optical device, which can be implemented with prisms (14a, 14b) or mirrors (17a, 17b), directs the deflected light portions only onto the photosensitive portions of the array, avoiding non-photosensitive gaps (12) between the detectors. The portions of the image received by the detectors combine to form the overall image.