A 6-Inch f/6 Newtonian Just Might Be The Perfect Telescope For Visual Observing With 2x The Light Gathering Power Of A 4-Inch Refractor But Still Very Portable
After nearly 40 years as a dedicated visual observer and having owned more than a dozen telescopes, I’ve come to a simple conclusion: the 6-inch f/6 Newtonian may just be the perfect amateur telescope. It offers enough aperture to reveal hundreds upon hundreds of deep-sky objects while remaining reasonably portable. With more than twice the light-gathering power of a 4-inch refractor, yet at a significantly lower cost, the 6-inch f/6 Newtonian strikes an exceptional balance between performance, portability, and affordability.
I had a 6-inch Criterion RV-6 almost 50 years ago, but life got busy and sold it. However, I have always regretted selling that telescope. So, in 2018, 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 the optical tube is not as long, and the shorter focal length allows for lower magnifications and wider fields of view.
I also have a 4.5-inch f/8 Newtonian that was given to me last year (March 2025) by a friend. I like this telescope as when using, it reminds me of my 4.25-inch f/10 EQ Edmund reflector. This was my first “very own” telescope, which opened the world of (serious) amateur astronomy to me in the spring of 1977. And I’ll never forget that spring night in 1977 when I first saw galaxies M81 and 82 with this telescope. My notes read: “In my mind, I was now a real amateur astronomer.”
For use with a more portable and transportable mount I use a Vixen GP, which is lightweight, but very sturdy.
