Six Inch telescope guide (150mm reflectors)

6 Inch Telescopes – also known as the 150 mm Reflector

Are you fascinated by the celestial objects of the sky? Wanna start observing them with your personal telescope?

A 6-inch telescope may be the best thing you are looking for!

6-inch telescopes are also called 150 mm Reflectors. If you are new to sky observation, owning a personal 6-inch telescope is an excellent way to start. Even if you have bought a telescope already, this post may inform you about other 6 inch telescopes having extraordinary features.

6-inch telescopes are good in size for beginner or hobbyist astronomers as they are portable and easy to handle. These telescopes provide a sufficient amount of power to gather light at cheaper rates. Even if some beginner astronomers intend to do serious observation, some upgraded 6-inch telescopes can offer what they want.

There are three types of 6-inch telescopes in general, among which you can pick one depending on three facts: the quality of the telescope, the intensity of your hobby, i.e., how serious you are about your hobby, and your budget.

Here is the short review of the three general type 6-inch telescopes. We have enlisted them from the lowest to the highest prices.

  1. Dobsonian Mount

Fig 1: Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope

This is an excellent beginner level telescope for amature astronomers. It has a sufficient amount of light gathering power and you will get it at a very reasonable price compared to the other Dobsonian telescopes. Though you have to compromise a little bit as it cannot track or find any celestial object automatically. The simple newtonian setup there is only a basic set up without having extra features though it works completely fine.

It not only has extra large optics to provide high resolution but also has a simple design which makes it more user-friendly. This is why customers do not hesitate to heap 5-star on the rating for this. Dobsoniian says about this gentle giant, ‘The XT6 Classic gives you the deep-space thrills without the deep-pocket frills‘’.

Despite its low budget, it is meticulously equipped for any kind of adventure and exploration suitable for even a novice stargazer or an expert astronomer. There is a parabolic mirror residing in an optical tube made of enameled steel. The tube mounts on a firm and stable base called Dobsonian base which provides support and facilitates point-and-view navigation. It is equipped with EZ Finder II aiming device,  A 2″ Crayford focuser, quick-collimation cap, and 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece (1.25″) which are all standard and simple and you need only a minute to set them up. It also has a convenient handle suitable for carrying it anywhere. And you can get all of these with a full one-year warranty card.

You can easily take it on your cart and enjoy your evenings marveling at the moons, planets and even the galaxies and discover a thousand of deep-sky gems.

  1. Newtonian/Equatorial Mount-

The tube configuration of this kind of telescope is similar to the Dobsonian. However, the only difference between them is the mount. The Dosonian telescope is altazimuth-mounted whereas the Newtonian telescope has an equatorial mount. But this does not make your sky observation different. All you have to do is to follow the set up. If you know how to use the telescope well to find objects across the sky, the bit of time you need to get used to the equatorial mount is not a big deal. This type of mount has to be aligned with the north or south pole at first which is very easy to do. After that you can rotate the telescope very smoothly to follow the celestial objects. It acts against the motion of the earth. This is a must while taking pictures. Some of these telescopes have an extra feature named an optional clock drive which allows star gazing without moving it. It will track automatically according to the thing you point at.

Fig 2: Celestron – PowerSeeker 127EQ Telescope – Manual

German Equatorial Telescope for Beginners

If you think you have got enough experience from your typical beginner level telescope and want to use an upgraded one with more light gathering power, you can add ‘Orion AstroView 6 EQ Reflector Telescope’ in your cart. The focal length of the 150mm parabolic mirror is 750 mm (f/5) which provides magnanimous views of deep-sky bodies if you use 25mm Plossl as well. The equatorial mount of AstroView 6 EQ-3 offers slow motion control which can be operated manually. This feature helps you to track the object in your viewing field and center it. If you want electronic guiding, there you will get an optional single or dual axis EQ-3 DC drive. There is a polar-alignment scope built into the equatorial head for proper orientation on the north or south. The mount is attached with a robust aluminum tripod with accessory tray which is easily adjustable. It also includes a rack-and-pinion focuser and 6×30 finder. You will also get four-vane secondary mirror support which is easily adjustable.

  1. Schmidt-Cassegrain

If you want finer optics than your present starter telescope, you can grab one from Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. These kinds of telescopes are not comparable with the starter telescopes. You will get higher performance and more upgraded features that the simple telescopes do not have. And, certainly the price is also a little bit higher; generally, minimum twice the cost of equatorial or dobsonian. The first and foremost reason for this high price is its folded optics which makes it more portable than the other types.

Fig 3: Celestron NexStar 6 SE Telescope

Tremendous performance and portability both come together in this Celestron NexStar 6 SE Telescope. This telescope includes Celestron’s first new Schmidt-Cassegrain optical system in over a decade which is now known as a high performance altazimuth computerized telescope. This optical system is highly precise having 1500mm focal length (f10) which provides 44% more light gathering than a 5-inch telescope. The total weight of the telescope will be around 30 pounds including the tripod.

The NexStar 6 SE possesses all the features Celestron’s most upgraded and advanced computerized GoTo telescopes have. It includes a sky tour feature, revolutionary SkyAlign alignment technology, a database of more than 40,000 objects, and user friendly hand control.

Some well-known and trusted Manufacturer of telescopes in the 6-inch range:

Most astronomers suggest to prefer the telescopes made by already established and popular makers. You can go through the next such telescopes we are presenting here.

  1. Orion StarBlast 6 Astro Telescope

Fig 4: Orion StarBlast 6 Astro Telescope

Orion StarBlast 6 Astro Telescope is the upgraded version of the beginner telescope Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro. StarBlast 6 is more popular and user friendly having the similar compact and wide-field view as the StarBlast 4.5. It has 73% more light-gathering power than the previous version.However, this telescope is still portable as it weighs around 23.5 lbs only and its base can be completely assembled inside the box.

It has a 150mm (5.9″) f/5.0 parabolic mirror which offers sufficient aperture to find deep-sky objects and planets with several details. Its wide field of view provides an easier finding and tracking system than the longer focal-length telescopes. This is why you can call it the best starter telescope of all ages for amature astronomers. Even if you already have a cheaper telescope, you can upgrade to this for more intense observation and amazing experience.

The maneuvering of the STarBlast 6 is smooth enough which is provided by adjustable altitude tension and teflon bearings. You have to keep the accessory Sirius Plossl eyepieces at the ready in the three-hole eyepiece rack. There are two handle cutouts in the base which makes it easy to lift and carry the telescope. You also can set it above the ground or any other flat surface like on the hood of your car or a small table. This is really an uncomplicated, affordable and meticulously engineered telescope. And yeah! You will get a full one-year limited warranty.

  1. TwinStar White 6

Fig 5: TwinStar White 6

TwinStar White 6 is a fabulous telescope if you want to observe the sky from your backyard. This is ideal for anyone, even an older child with enthusiasm for astronomy. First, you need to turn the telescope on and select the celestial body you intend to observe on the handheld controller. The computerized GPS mount will do the rest. It has an ample 150mm (6 inch) primary mirror having the focal length of 140mm which makes this huge reflector telescope the precise high magnification instrument for serious observation of deep sky objects. You will be able to detect and observe remote binary star systems, nebulae, galaxies, exoplanetary systems and other mysterious objects with this telescope. Besides, you can scrutinize the wonderful details of the nearby objects like the moon, rings of Saturn, moons of Jupiter and the asteroids. The Cube of this telescope is the most flexible unit compared to the other telescopes. This multifunctional Cube includes iOptron SmartStar-G Alt-Azimuth Mount with GPS. Here, double axis motors are assembled into one small single unit. Moreover, as there is no dead spot, you can point the telescope anywhere beyond the azimuth whereas other telescope mounts block the tube at some specific points of rotation. To operate the mount, you have to connect it with an AC connection or 8 AA cell batteries (Batteries are not included to this product, you can buy them separately from here). The GoToNova computerized control system of this telescope is now the most advanced system on the market. It also has a rich database with data of 50,000 celestial objects including all well known stars, star clusters, planets, galaxies and nebulae. You can enjoy observing them by simply pushing the button. Alignment of telescope is not necessary here, because it can detect the location with GPS. The GoToNova Controller is more user-friendly than any other available system on the market. The hand controller is more instinctive with well organized menu categories. The large LCD screen includes more lines of content. Anyone can set up the telescope and select the place to go without any hassle with the easy-to-use hand controller

  1. Meade LT 6-Inch SC (f/10) Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope

Fig 6: Meade LT 6-Inch SC (f/10) Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope

Meade LT 6 introduces a completely new standard 6 inch telescope to the market. It is featured as a fully computer controlled system which offers high performance. It has an ample aperture of 152.4mm (6 inch) and focal length of 1524mm. This revolutionary optics system can be called a classic Schmidt- Cassegrain or Advanced Coma-Free system. It includes a precision worm gear drive which is very responsive. Meade LT 6 owns a robust mount made of die-cast aluminum. The sturdy steel tripod is perfect for providing enough support while imaging and high-resolution visual observation. In short, LT-6 is especially made for those astronomers who crave for high performance from his telescope including exclusive optics mechanics and computer control.

As we know that optics is the most important or you can say the heart of a telescope, this is where the Meade engineers put their highest effort in. They present the highest quality professional grade optics available combining the best ever materials and advanced, proprietor processes.

This telescope is smart enough to show you the night sky out of the horizon. You just have to put in the site information and select level and North. Then LT-6 will take two alignment stars and save them in the viewfinder. Then you just go on observing your sky centering them to fine tune your alignment.

The AutoStar computer controller in Meade LT 6 can easily track and find more than 30,000 celestial bodies in the night sky. Enjoy stargazing with the push of a button.

Meade LXD75 AR6-AT Refracting Telescope, A Rare Telescope:

Now we want to let you know about a rare Telescope because it is really challenging to grab this kind of 6-inch telescope.

Fig 7: Meade LXD75 AR6-AT Refracting Telescope

The Autostar Achromatic 6 inch telescope has a focal length of 1219mm f/8.0 . The optics system is incompatible with the telescopes with mirrors. It includes a 26MM Super Plossl 1.25 Inch Eyepiece. It also has the Heavy duty German Equatorial Mount. The 497 Hand Controller Smart Drive is very responsive. the 8×50 Viewfinder makes it easier to find the object in the night sky. 1.25 Inch Adapter High Precision Pointing Heavy Duty Tripod will give you enough support and high efficiency. If you want a spectacular view of the universe, this telescope will give you the experience you want.

Grab one telescope from this, and enjoy stargazing!