Yes, the 6-inch f/6 Newtonian in my opinion, just might be the perfect telescope for the dedicated visual observer. It’s both compact and lightweight, and even with an equatorial mount is easily manageable, and has twice the light gathering power of a 4-inch refractor.

I had a 6-inch Criterion RV-6 almost 50 years ago, but life got busy and sold it. However, I always regretted selling that telescope. So, in about 2017 I bought another 6-inch, but this time with an f/6 focal ratio. The Criterion RV-6 was an f/8. I like the f/6 much better as it’s a bit more versitile, for a wider field of view, and a 2x Barlow can make the f/6, an f/12. And the f/6 is more portable due to the shorter OTA.

I also have a 4.5-inch f/8 Newtonian that was given to me a few months ago, that I plan to use tonight to observe T Corona Borealis field.  

After being a serious “visual” observer for at least 40 years and having more than 10 telescopes, I’ve come to the conclusion:  A 6-inch f/6 Newtonian (my opinion) might just be the perfect transportable “visual” telescope.   

I can also use a GoTo mount with this telescope.

This entry was posted on April 26, 2025 at 3:00 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. Both comments and pings are currently closed.