Fluorescence microscope , comprising: an excitation light source which is configured to generate a pulsed or modulated excitation light distribution (E) which excites fluorophores present in a sample to spontaneously emit fluorescence photons, a depletion light source which is configured to generate a pulsed or modulated depletion light distribution (D) which depletes the fluorophores excited by the excitation light distribution in the sample by way of a stimulated emission of fluorescence photons, an illumination unit which is configured to combine the excitation light distribution (E) and the depletion light distribution (D) in such a way that an intensity maximum (M) of the excitation light distribution (E) and an intensity minimum (N) of the depletion light distribution (D) are spatially superimposed on one another at an illumination target point, a detector which is configured to detect the fluorescence photons emitted from the illumination target point as a function of their arrival times, and a processor which is configured to evaluate the fluorescence photons detected in the illumination target point with regard to their arrival times, characterized in that the processor is configured to control, on the basis of this evaluation, a delay which a light pulse or a light modulation of the depletion light distribution (D) has at the location of the illumination target point with respect to a light pulse or a light modulation of the excitation light distribution (E), wherein the processor evaluates the fluorescence photons detected in the illumination target point by comparing a temporal distribution of the fluorescence photons given by the detected arrival times with a target distribution (V), and controls the delay on the basis of this comparison. an excitation light source which is configured to generate a pulsed or modulated excitation light distribution (E) which excites fluorophores present in a sample to spontaneously emit fluorescence photons, a depletion light source which is configured to generate a pulsed or modulated depletion light distribution (D) which depletes the fluorophores excited by the excitation light distribution in the sample by way of a stimulated emission of fluorescence photons, an illumination unit which is configured to combine the excitation light distribution (E) and the depletion light distribution (D) in such a way that an intensity maximum (M) of the excitation light distribution (E) and an intensity minimum (N) of the depletion light distribution (D) are spatially superimposed on one another at an illumination target point, a detector which is configured to detect the fluorescence photons emitted from the illumination target point as a function of their arrival times, and a processor which is configured to evaluate the fluorescence photons detected in the illumination target point with regard to their arrival times, characterized in that the processor is configured to control, on the basis of this evaluation, a delay which a light pulse or a light modulation of the depletion light distribution (D) has at the location of the illumination target point with respect to a light pulse or a light modulation of the excitation light distribution (E), wherein the processor evaluates the fluorescence photons detected in the illumination target point by comparing a temporal distribution of the fluorescence photons given by the detected arrival times with a target distribution (V), and controls the delay on the basis of this comparison. <EOS>