6-inch Telescopes (150mm)
What is a 6-inch telescope?
A 6-inch telescope, also known as a 150mm telescope, is a portable optical instrument that offers a balance between functionality and portability, making it a potential candidate for the “perfect” amateur telescope. The 6-inch aperture of the telescope determines its light-gathering power and ability to resolve fine details, allowing it to collect a large amount of light and making stars as dim as 14.7-magnitude visible. A 6-inch telescope can be either a reflector or a refractor, with the former using mirrors to focus incoming light and the latter using lenses. Reflectors are more cost-effective, while refractors offer sharper, contrast-rich views. Weighing less than 20 lbs when fully assembled, a 6-inch telescope is designed for easy transport, fitting into smaller bags and cases, and is suitable for stargazing enthusiasts on the go. The telescope offers a magnification power of around 300x, enabling astronomers to explore various celestial objects such as stars, planets, asteroids, galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. Equipped with an equatorial mount, the telescope ensures precise tracking and observation of celestial objects. With a typical focal ratio around f/8, the telescope provides a balance of speed, field of view, and potential magnification, making it versatile for both casual observers and experienced astronomers. Priced between $500 to $1000 on average, a 6-inch telescope is a cost-effective option for those looking to delve into the world of astronomy.
What is a 6-inch refractor telescope?
A 6-inch refractor telescope is a portable optical instrument designed for astronomical observations, particularly for viewing faint celestial objects. Its lightweight and compact size make it easy to transport and set up, making it an ideal choice for stargazing on the go. The tube of a 6-inch refractor telescope houses the objective lens, which is typically an achromatic doublet lens that uses carefully crafted lenses to collect and focus light into the eyepiece to form clear images. The telescope stands out for its sharpness and contrast, offering exceptional resolution for its size. The focal length of the objective lens, combined with the eyepiece, determines the magnification power of the telescope, with a maximum magnification of up to 304 times the human eye achievable. Equipped with an Equatorial mount, a 6-inch refractor telescope offers precise tracking of celestial objects as they move across the night sky. A star diagonal is included to allow for comfortable viewing at different angles, while a finder scope aids in locating and aligning objects for observation. The use of high-quality optical glass, such as ED or APO glass, reduces chromatic aberration and color fringing, resulting in improved image quality, especially for astrophotography. The aperture of a 6-inch refractor telescope plays a crucial role in its light-gathering capacity, impacting the brightness and clarity of the images produced. The 6-inch aperture allows an observer to see 14.7 magnitude stars, making it an excellent light gatherer. A dew shield is included to prevent moisture buildup on the lens and improve viewing conditions. The telescope’s overall weight ranges from 50-60 pounds, making it manageable for most users. With a precise focuser and a selection of eyepieces, a 6-inch refractor telescope offers a versatile viewing experience, allowing observers to adjust the magnification and field of view to suit their preferences. The closed-tube design of a 6-inch refractor telescope requires a lower degree of maintenance. The telescope nearly straddles the line between small and medium telescopes, offering plenty of light-gathering capability while comfortably packing into smaller bags and cases. Its combination of portability, quality optics, and ease of use makes the 6-inch refractor telescope a popular choice among amateur and experienced astronomers alike.
What is a 6-inch reflector telescope?
A 6-inch reflector telescope is a powerful optical instrument designed for observing celestial objects in the night sky. It uses mirrors to focus incoming light onto a secondary mirror, which then directs it toward the eyepiece. The telescope features a 750mm focal length and a significant aperture that allows it to collect a large amount of light, making stars as dim as 14.7-magnitude visible to the eye. The reflector design excels at removing chromatic aberrations, those fuzzy auras around stars. This makes the 6-inch reflector telescope a great choice for viewing double stars, deep-sky objects, and is recommended for beginners due to its balance of performance and portability. The telescope is mounted on an equatorial mount for precise tracking and observation. It weighs around 40 pounds, making it easy to transport to different observation sites. The telescope offers a maximum resolution of approximately 0.76 arcseconds and a maximum magnification of 304x, allowing for detailed views of celestial objects. The optical design of the telescope focuses on gathering and focusing light using mirrors, ensuring compactness and eliminating chromatic aberration.
What space objects can you see with a 6-inch telescope?
With a 6-inch telescope, you can observe all the Messier objects, which include galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. The planets that can be seen with a 6-inch telescope include Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn with visible details, while other planets may appear featureless. Deep-sky objects such as galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae are visible with a 6-inch telescope, with many of them appearing in shades of gray due to their faintness. The 6-inch telescope allows for the observation of certain celestial events, such as lunar and solar eclipses, as well as the ability to view some comets and asteroids, depending on their size, distance, and brightness.
Types and Technical Specifications of 6-inch telescope
Types (Optical Design)
Triplet Refractor: Example: Sky-Watcher Esprit 150mm ED Triplet APO Refractor, Takahashi TOA-150B Double ED Triplet Refractor Telescope – Heavy-Duty 4″ Focuser
Doublet Refractor: Example: Sky-Watcher Evostar 150DX f/8 Doublet Refracting Telescope, Celestron Advanced VX 6″ Refractor Telescope
SCT: Example: Celestron NexStar Evolution 6″ Computerized Telescope, Celestron Advanced VX 6″ Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope Bundle – CE-12079, Celestron C· 6 -A-XLT Schmidt-Cassegrain OTA with CG- 5 Mount Plate, Celestron NexStar 6SE Computerized Telescope
Maksutov Cassegrain: Example: Sky-Watcher 150mm Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope OTA, iOptron 150mm Maksutov Cassegrain OTA
Ritchey Chretien: Example: Orion 6″ f/9 Ritchey Chretien Reflecting OTA Telescope, TPO 6″ f/9 Ritchey Chretien Reflecting OTA Telescope, iOptron Photron 150 RC OTA
Doublet Refractor: Example: Sky-Watcher Evostar 150 f/8 Apochromatic Refracting Telescope,
Dobsonian: Example: Sky-Watcher Heritage 150 Tabletop Dobsonian, Takahashi Epsilon E-160ED 160mm ED Astrograph OTA, Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian, Orion 6″ F/4.1 Newtonian Astrograph Reflector Telescope, Sky-Watcher Classic 150P f/7.9 Dobsonian Telescope
Cassegrain: Example: Meade 6″ f/10 LX85 ACF Optical Tube Assembly, Meade 6″ f/10 LX85 ACF Telescope with Mount and Tripod
Newtonian: Example: Sharpstar 15028HNT, Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150 Tabletop GoTo Dobsonian, Meade 6″ f/4.1 LX85 Reflector Optical Tube Assembly, Meade LX85 6″ Newtonian Astrograph w/Audiostar Equatorial Mount, TPO 6″ f/6 Newtonian Reflecting OTA Telescope, Celestron Advanced VX 6″ Newtonian Telescope, TPO 6″ f/4 Newtonian Reflecting OTA Telescope, Sky-Watcher Quattro 150P Imaging Newtonian Telescope, Celestron Omni XLT 150 Telescope – Reflector
Technical Specifications
Aperture: 6-inch (150 mm)
Focal Length: 162-1800 mm
Focal ratio: f/3.9-f/10
Highest Magnification: 295-320x
Light Gathering Power: 459-522x
Price: 310-15,070$
Images taken with 6-inch telescopes
Examples of 6-inch telescopes
- Sharpstar 15028HNT
- Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150 Tabletop GoTo Dobsonian
- Meade 6″ f/10 LX85 ACF Optical Tube Assembly
- Meade 6″ f/4.1 LX85 Reflector Optical Tube Assembly
- Meade 6″ f/10 LX85 ACF Telescope with Mount and Tripod
- Meade LX85 6″ Newtonian Astrograph w/Audiostar Equatorial Mount
- Sky-Watcher Heritage 150 Tabletop Dobsonian
- Takahashi Epsilon E-160ED 160mm ED Astrograph OTA
- Sky-Watcher Evostar 150 f/8 Apochromatic Refracting Telescope
- Orion 6″ f/9 Ritchey Chretien Reflecting OTA Telescope
- Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope Kit
- Orion 6″ F/4.1 Newtonian Astrograph Reflector Telescope
- Sky-Watcher 150mm Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope OTA
- TPO 6″ f/6 Newtonian Reflecting OTA Telescope
- Celestron Advanced VX 6″ Newtonian Telescope
- Celestron NexStar Evolution 6″ Computerized Telescope
- Sky-Watcher Esprit 150mm ED Triplet APO Refractor
- TPO 6″ f/9 Ritchey Chretien Reflecting OTA Telescope
- TPO 6″ f/4 Newtonian Reflecting OTA Telescope
- Celestron Advanced VX 6″ Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope Bundle – CE-12079
- iOptron 150mm Maksutov Cassegrain OTA
- Celestron C· 6 -A-XLT Schmidt-Cassegrain OTA with CG- 5 Mount Plate
- Takahashi TOA-150B Double ED Triplet Refractor Telescope – Heavy-Duty 4″ Focuser
- Celestron NexStar 6SE Computerized Telescope
- Sky-Watcher Evostar 150DX f/8 Doublet Refracting Telescope
- Celestron Advanced VX 6″ Refractor Telescope
- Sky-Watcher Quattro 150P Imaging Newtonian Telescope
- Sky-Watcher Classic 150P f/7.9 Dobsonian Telescope
- Celestron Omni XLT 150 Telescope – Reflector
- iOptron Photron 150 RC OTA
How do 6-inch telescopes compare to other size-telescopes
6-inch vs 7-inch telescopes
6-inch telescope has less aperture than the 7-inch telescopes. They offer a focal ratio of f/2.8-f/15 whereas the 6-inch telescopes vary from f/3.9-f/10. Besides, 6-inch telescopes offer a focal length of 162-1800 mm whereas the 7-inch telescopes start from 500 mm to 2700 mm in focal lengths. Moreover, 7-inch telescopes provide 360x the highest magnification, whereas 6-inch telescopes can magnify up to 295-320x.
| 6-inch telescope | 7-inch telescopes | |
| Aperture | 6-inch (150 mm) | 7-inch (180 mm) |
| Focal Ratio | f/3.9-f/10 | f/2.8-f/15 |
| Focal Length | 162-1800 mm | 500-2700 mm |
| Highest Magnification | 295-320x | 360x |
| Price | 310-15,070$ | 1,350-5,500$ |
6-inch vs 8-inch telescope
8-inch telescopes provide focal lengths of 800-2415 mm (f/4-f/11.5), while 6-inch vary in focal lengths from 162-1800 mm (f/3.9-f/10). On average 8-inch telescopes provide the highest magnification of 300-480x, whereas 6-inch telescopes can magnify 295-320x.
| 6-inch telescope | 8-inch telescope | |
| Aperture | 6-inch (150 mm) | 8-inch (203 mm) |
| Focal Ratio | f/3.9-f/10 | f/4-f/11.5 |
| Focal Length | 162-1800 mm | 800-2415 mm |
| Highest Magnification | 295-320x | 300-480x |
| Price | 310-15,070$ | 570-5,000$ |
6-inch vs 9.25-inch telescope
6-inch telescopes provide a focal length of 162-1800 mm with a focal ratio of f/3.9-f/10. In contrast, 9.25-inch telescopes vary from 2350-2500 mm in focal length with a focal ratio of f/10. Moreover, 9.25-inch telescopes provide 406-555x the highest magnification, which is 295-320x in the case of 6-inch telescopes.
| 6-inch telescope | 9.25-inch telescope | |
| Aperture | 6-inch (150 mm) | 9.25-inch (235 mm) |
| Focal Ratio | f/3.9-f/10 | f/10 |
| Focal Length | 162-1800 mm | 2350-2500 mm |
| Highest Magnification | 295-320x | 406-555x |
| Price | 310-15,070$ | 1,899-8,320$ |
6-inch vs 10-inch telescope
6-inch telescopes have less aperture than the 10-inch telescopes. They offer the same range of focal ratio i.e. f/3.9-f/10. However, 6-inch telescopes offer a focal length of 162-1800 mm whereas the 10-inch telescopes vary from 1000-2500 mm in focal lengths. Though sometimes you can get 10-inch telescopes at a lesser price than a 6-inch scope.
| 6-inch telescope | 10-inch telescope | |
| Aperture | 6-inch (150 mm) | 10-inch (254 mm) |
| Focal Ratio | f/3.9-f/10 | f/3.9-f/10 |
| Focal Length | 162-1800 mm | 1000-2500 mm |
| Highest Magnification | 295-320x | 500-600x |
| Price | 310-15,070$ | 630-10,000$ |
