Abstract: The present invention relates to an illumination device for a surgical microscope, comprising at least one light source (10, 20) for generating a first illumination beam path (80) that makes available a first illumination region in an object plane (70), and a second illumination beam path (90) that makes available a second illumination region in the object plane (70), such that the first illumination region and second illumination region at least partly overlap, and comprising a switching device (50) with which illumination of the object plane with the first and/or with the second illumination beam path (80, 90) can selectably be made available, and an eclipse filter (40), introducible into the first illumination beam path (80), by means of which the first illumination beam part (80) is partly darkenable.