An exposure apparatus includes a illumination optical system for illuminating a reticle with light from a light source, and a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of the reticle onto an object, said projection optical system includes a lens closest to the object, wherein a surface on the object side of the lens is smaller than an effective area of a surface on the reticle side of the lens, and wherein said exposure apparatus exposes the object via a liquid that is filled in a space between the lens and the object.