An optical scanning apparatus includes M number of light sources that
includes M number of semiconductor lasers and M number of coupling
lenses, where M is a positive integer, a deflecting scanning unit that
deflects laser beams from the light sources to a surface to be scanned,
and a transmission-type prism that deflects optical path of the laser
beam from at least one of the light sources by an infinitesimal amount of
angle. The prism is disposed between the light sources and the deflecting
scanning unit, has an incident surface and an output surface nonparallel
to each other, and can rotate around an axis of rotation substantially
parallel to the optical path of the laser beam.