EAGLE5 S computer for telescopes and astrophotography

EAGLE is the open platform for telescopes: you can use your preferred devices and Windows softwares.

Replace your standard laptop or desktop computer with an EAGLE5 and you will spend less time setting up your equipment and more time imaging! Since EAGLE combines, in one device, a powerful computer with Windows 11 computer to the most advanced remote control and power management system for telescopes, it allows you to use your preferred devices and Windows software from any manufacturer without limitation, while also offering many advantages and features you can’t find in a standard computer. PrimaLuceLab’s engineers designed the EAGLE5 all-in-one solution (design protected by European Patent EP3335078) to be used with any telescope. By connecting data and power cables to the EAGLE5, when the telescope moves, all the cables will move accordingly, reducing the opportunity for cable snags and providing the best solution for your cable management. All you need is a single power cable from your battery or AC adapter to your EAGLE5!

EAGLE5 S computer for telescopes and astrophotography - main features:

• Windows 11 Enterprise computer lets you install your preferred Windows software and use the devices you want
• Intel’s 11th generation i3 processor with 8GB RAM DDR4 3200 MHz and 250GB SSD NVMe disk 
• Industrial grade SSD disk and RAM module to provide the best reliability also in very low temperatures
• 10 port USB hub with 3x high speed USB 3.2, 2x USB 4 type-C ports (1x Thunderbolt 3 and 1x Thunderbolt 3) plus 5x USB 2.0 ports (4 of them with remote on/off capability)
• 4 x 12V power out ports with remote ON/OFF control to power your mount, camera and other 12V accessories
• 3x variable 3-12V power out ports for dew heaters
• GPS sensor with high gain antenna to detect elevation, latitude, longitude, date and time
• EYE sensor to monitor sky quality in a 5° field of view where the telescope is pointed
• Inclinometer to measure elevation of your telescope
• Motion Detector to detect unexpected or unwanted motions of your telescope caused by high winds, sudden flexures or cable snags.
• DARK mode to turn off all the LED lights
• GHOST mode to replace USB cables of PLL devices with wireless connection
• Powerful and fast WiFi 6 (802.11ax) with dual band (2.4 and 5 GHz) connection
• Power consumption of every device powered through the 12v power OUT ports of the EAGLE
• Power level monitoring provided to 12V power IN port of the EAGLE
• EAGLE Manager X interface to easily control all the EAGLE’s features
• PLUS aluminum case, allowing you to easily attach the EAGLE to any telescope by adding rings, bars or clamps
• Weight: 1.25 kg (2.75 lb)

EAGLE5 simplifies your telescope setup and allows you to remotely control your preferred telescopes and astronomy accessories.

When you do astrophotography, you don’t need just your telescope but you need other devices like a camera, a guiding system, a motorised focuser, a filter wheel, and a computerised mount. You’re gonna need to power them all and you’re gonna need some kind of brain to be connecting to and running your entire telescope setup. And you want to be free to choose the best devices from the best manufacturers, without being locked to a specific model. This is even more complex if you want to control your telescope remotely, when you’re not on site, and you need to handle some particular automated features. That’s why we developed the EAGLE that moves computer, devices connectivity, power distribution, advanced sensors and dew heater control all to the telescope where it’s free to move with all your devices.

EAGLE5 is compatible with any astrophotography device: a built in computer with Windows 11 Enterprise.

In the modern world there are many operating systems that do a great job. But, when it comes to astronomy software and drivers, most of it works on Windows. That's why the EAGLE runs Windows in the same way a laptop or desktop computer does, so you can connect to the EAGLE the devices you like (since manufacturers provide official drivers for Windows 10/11) and install the Windows software you prefer (it has just to be compatible with Windows 10/11, for example you can use NINA, Sequence Generator Pro, Voyager, SharpCap, MaximDL, TheSkyX, Stellarium, Cartes du Ciel, PHD Guiding, and of course our PLAY software). This means that anything you can load on your standard Windows 10/11 computer at home, you can load on the EAGLE. This way you're not just locked in to one particular company in their hardware and you can easily customize the EAGLE in the way you like. EAGLE5 uses a Windows 11 IoT Enterprise license that is lighter-weight and more stable than traditional PCs with Windows 11 Home or other OEM versions that come preinstalled with useless bloatware. EAGLE5 S comes with Intel’s 11th generation i3 processor with only 15W of TDP and 6MB of cache provides desktop class performance with low power consumption. EAGLE5 S offers three USB 3.2 type A ports, two USB 4 (with type-C connector, one is Thunderbolt 4 and one is Thunderbolt 3) ports with data transfer rates up to 40 Gbps, as well as five USB 2.0 ports, two HDMI 2.0b ports, a 2.5 Gigabit ethernet port and WiFi 6 802.11ax connectivity. This way you have the power you need to run any DSO astrophotography software with a device that’s easy on your battery, improving overall portability.

EAGLE5 is compatible with any telescope: you can connect it to your telescope, any type.

Thanks to the special PLUS case, you can connect the EAGLE to any type of telescope: refractors, Schmidt-Cassegrains, Ritchey-Chretiens, Newtonians, and others. Thanks to the many threaded holes on the EAGLE’s chassis and the availability of various PLUS systems accessories (support rings, dovetail bars, dovetail clamps), connecting the EAGLE to your telescope is easy. By using EAGLE instead of a laptop or desktop computer, your telescope will have less cables and shorter runs that will move in unison with your telescope (this drastically reduces the potential for cable snagging or detaching while your telescope tracks the stars across the sky). The EAGLE also has lower power consumption, reducing the battery capacity needed to power your complete telescope all night long. The electronic internal components were designed for field use in extended temperature ranges. This way you can rely on it all night long, in higher humidity conditions since the small amount of internal heat generated by the processor slightly warms the chassis of the EAGLE, helping to prevent dew from forming on body or EYE lens.

EAGLE5 comes with 10 USB ports so you can connect and control all the devices you need for your telescope.

EAGLE5 allows you to connect and control many devices and should the need arise, you can also remotely turn on/off the USB 2.0 ports, instead of having to manually unplug or plug a cable! This can be a great feature to save power (you can also turn off the port you do not use) but you can also reset the port it in case of a device connection failure. Thanks to the EAGLE’s USB 4.0 and 3.0 ports, you can connect and use the latest fast USB 3 cameras - With the faster processors of the EAGLE5 PRO and XTM models, they are a great choice for the high demands of planetary imaging, allowing high-speed video capture of the Moon, planets, and Sun at high resolution to the fast internal SSD drive. EAGLE5 S also adds incredibly fast and powerful Thunderbolt 4 and 3 ports with USB-C type connectors allowing connections up to 40 Gbps with more connectivity options. Compared to a standard USB port, USB-C/Thunderbolt adds many additional features: 

- Speed: while USB 3.0 is up to 5 Gbps, the Thunderbolt 3/4 port offers connectivity speeds up to 40 Gbps

- Power: the Thunderbolt 4 port is capable of providing up to 100 W, Thunderbolt 3 up to 15W

- Connectivity: you can connect many devices like external drives, displays, multi port docking stations, audio devices, etc. It allows you to connect as many as 6 devices, daisy chained, through a single compact port. Since it has a USB-C type connector, the cable is reversible so there is no wrong way to connect it in the dark. If you have a standard USB-C device, you can connect it to the Thunderbolt port (in this case the maximum speed will be 10 Gbps).

EAGLE5 includes the advanced power bridge with 7 power out ports: you can power 12V devices directly through the EAGLE.

The EAGLE has a separate 12V power input that can run on up to 16 amps. From there, using a special internal board, power is distributed to seven power out ports - four 12V power out ports are designed to power your camera, mount, focuser, or other 12v devices. These ports are equipped with safety screw-type connections to prevent unwanted detachment of the cables and we have made special power cables (optional) for different devices. The three 3-12V variable power out ports are designed to power dew heaters without the need of an external controller. Control of these ports can be easily automated by adding the optional ECCO environmental module for EAGLE. A dedicated chip on EAGLE’s power board protects the electronics (both on the EAGLE and connected devices) from any overcurrents by temporarily disconnecting power in case of electrical problems - faster than traditional fuses. Power is automatically re-activated once the problem has been resolved. Additionally, a special microcontroller allows you to adjust (+- 1A) the maximum current limit of the 12V ports. This way, if you want to connect a device to a 3A max port and that device has a maximum power consumption of 4A, you can increase the port limit to 4A.

Add the optional ECCO environmental computerized controller to automatically control dew heater power based on dew point.

By adding ECCO, (Environmental Computerized COntroller) to your EAGLE, you can automatically and continuously monitor the dew point (the temperature below which moisture condenses) by sensing the temperature and humidity of the air around your telescope and the temperature of your lenses. ECCO will then automatically vary the voltage to the appropriate EAGLE’s ports where your dew heaters bands are connected, keeping dew from forming on your optics. All of this with an automatic and easy to use device that you just have to connect to one of the EAGLE USB ports. That’s why we call it ECCO: in Italian, it means "There you go”!

GPS sensor with high gain antenna to automatically detect latitude, longitude, elevation, date and time.

In order to control your telescope with maximum precision, it’s very important you provide your geographical position and local time in a very precise way. Thanks to the integrated GPS sensor the EAGLE5 automatically detects your telescope elevation, latitude, longitude and local time by connecting to the satellites of the Global Positioning System. The external high gain antenna allows the EAGLE to detect GPS data in a very fast and precise way, even if you see only part of the sky (and even if you install the EAGLE5 in an observatory within a dome!). EAGLE5 automatically syncs the date, time and position data captured from GPS with Windows settings: this way the software you use for astrophotography will control your telescope with greater precision!

EAGLE EYE to monitor sky quality only where the telescope is pointed.

Did you ever want to check the sky quality of your telescope’s field of view? Have you ever dreamed of being able to monitor the sky all night long, even when your telescope is moving and while you’re asleep? The EYE sensor automatically measures the sky brightness for you (in magnitude per square arc second - mag/sq arcsec) with a 5 degree field of view, only where your telescope is pointed! The EYE value is shown in real time in the EAGLE Manager X interface where you can easily monitor sky quality measurements. EAGLE5 has two EYE sensors, one on each end of the EAGLE. Based on how you orient your EAGLE5 on your telescope, you can simply unthread and move the lens to the other sensor that is pointing to the sky, select the proper position of the lens in the EAGLE Manager X interface, and you are ready to read the sky brightness in any installation. Thanks to the special lens, the EAGLE EYE has a narrow field of view, so it measures darkness of the night sky only in the part of the sky where your telescope is really pointed at. This way the EAGLE EYE won’t be influenced, for example, by clouds that may be present in other parts of the sky. For the same reason, the proximity of your telescope or other accessories (like dew shield) won’t interfere with the measurements, also if you install the EAGLE5 close to your telescope and you have a long tube. The small amount of internal heat generated by the processor reduces the possibility of dew formation on the small lens.

EAGLE5 comes with Inclinometer to measure inclination of your telescope.

The Inclinometer sensor built into the EAGLE5 S measures the elevation of your telescope with respect to the horizon level, with a resolution of 0.1 degrees (and a measured average error lower than 1 degree). Inclination data is shown in real time in the EAGLE Manager X interface and, since the EAGLE is designed to be installed in parallel to your telescope (elevation is correctly displayed also if the EAGLE is in inverted position, with the power out ports pointing the sky), you can also remotely check if your telescope is pointed at the correct elevation, if your equatorial mount elevation setting is correctly set based on your Latitude, or if your Alt-Az mount home position is correctly set in elevation.

EAGLE5 comes with a Motion Detector to detect unexpected or unwanted motion of your telescope.

When recording a sequence, you may have one of your pictures blurred while the others are sharp: many external factors like wind gusts or cable snags may impact your telescope correct tracking during an acquisition. The Motion Detector shows in the EAGLE Manager X the unwanted motion without confusing them with mount tracking or goto movements. This way PLAY (or third party software that support Motion Detector) can automatically repeat the last acquisition if EAGLE5 detects an unexpected motion.

Powerful and fast WiFi 6 (802.11ax) with dual band (2.4 and 5 GHz) connection to remotely control your telescope from any device.

To operate EAGLE, you don't need a monitor, keyboard and mouse - You can control the EAGLE through a free dedicated app, available on any smartphone, tablet or personal computer running Windows, MacOS, iOS or Android. Turn the EAGLE on, then enable your device's WiFi connection and select the WiFi network provided by the EAGLE. Launch the remote control app and you will have EAGLE desktop on your screen with access to all your astrophotography software. If you like, you can also configure the EAGLE to connect to a pre-existing WiFi or wired/ethernet network allowing remote access via the internet - perfect for remote observatories! Since the EAGLE doesn't use VNC or other software for remote control, it's faster and more stable. For your safety each EAGLE device creates a unique WiFi network, from any other EAGLE that might be nearby. To avoid any other issues at a star party, every EAGLE also has a unique access password known only by you. And if you prefer a wired connection, the EAGLE has also a gigabit Ethernet port so you can control it also through a wired network, which can be very useful in large observatories!

DARK mode to turn off all the LED lights.

Every astronomer knows artificial lights reduce telescope performance, both in visual use and astrophotography. That’s why we designed the EAGLE5 with a DARK mode feature that allows you to instantly turn off all the LED lights on the EAGLE5, when needed! Not only this will prevent any influence on your telescope but it is also a great feature for your astronomy friends that may be close to you while enjoying the night sky together. Thanks to the new DARK mode, the EAGLE is now a welcome guest at star parties where standard computers may be prohibited because of uncontrolled light emissions from LEDs and screens (the EAGLE doesn’t need for a screen to operate).

GHOST mode to replace USB cables of PLL devices with wireless connection.

Modern astrophotography telescopes require many devices, creating a real cable nightmare: EAGLE’s power distribution system and USB ports greatly simplify cable management, but there’s more: thanks to the new GHOST mode (available starting with EAGLE Manager X 2.0), the EAGLE is able to control PLL devices (SESTO SENSO 2, ESATTO, ARCO, GIOTTO and ALTO) by using its WiFi connection instead of a standard USB cable, without forcing you to use special drivers or software. When you activate GHOST mode, EAGLE Manager X wirelessly connects to your PLL devices and creates a new COM device, as you would have with a standard USB cable (that now you can remove) so you can keep using your astrophotography programs and ASCOM platform as you always have.

EAGLE Manager X interface to easily control all the EAGLE’s features.

EAGLE5 S comes with special "EAGLE Manager X" software that starts automatically at Windows startup and provides an easy and intuitive interface, allowing you to:

• Enable/Disable every 12V power out port: this way you can keep all your devices connected (for example, mount, camera, filter wheel, etc.) and activate them remotely when you turn on the entire system. 
• Check power consumption: it allows you to check how much power every 12V device powered through the EAGLE requires and it shows the total power consumption of your telescope this way providing you the best way to monitor your system power.
• Name power and USB ports: you can rename every port with the name of the connected device, in order to easily control them or to save COM port number associated to a specific device.
• Check for GPS data: elevation, latitude, longitude, date, time and number of connected satellites
• Check for EYE sky quality: select the sensor facing toward the sky and check for sky quality value, also with Bortle Scale.
• Set the power out voltage of the 3 x 3-12V power out ports: increase or decrease the power to dew heaters connected to EAGLE. Each port shows the current consumption that can also be monitored over time.
• Check for Inclinometer to verify elevation of your telescope in respite to the horizon level.
• Show Motion Detector data and visualize if unwanted motions are recorded.
• Activate DARK mode: this turns off all the LED lights.
• Activate GHOST mode: this allows you to replace USB cables of PLL devices with wireless connection.
• Connect or disconnect devices connected to the A-B-C-D USB 2.0 ports: this feature is convenient in case of temporary crash of an auto-guider or planetary camera, which can then be reset without the need to go to the telescope and disconnect/reconnect a cable.
• Set wireless or wired connectivity: it shows the IP addresses you can use with remote desktop to access your EAGLE in AP mode (use your smartphone, tablet or external computer by connecting directly to EAGLE without the need of a WiFi router) or HOST mode for connecting to your existing network such as your home WiFi, also with a wired connection.
• Set your automatic power routines: you can define port status “After power on” and “Before shut down” for the devices connected to the EAGLE. This way, for example, you can automatically turn on all your devices after you start the EAGLE and turn them all off when you shut down the EAGLE.
• Automatically connect to the optional ECCO controller: if you have the environmental controller, EAGLE Manager X is able to automatically connect at startup and take control of dew heater power based on calculated dew-point.
• Save EAGLE sensors data in log files for later processing: data from various sensors are saved in log files directly on your EAGLE this way you can later download them.

PLUS aluminum case, to allow easy integration with any telescope and to support demanding payloads without flexure.

We designed the EAGLE case to be incredibly rigid. It is rigid enough to a support even a compact telescope in parallel (up to 8 kg). This way you can also install the EAGLE below your main telescope! Precise FEM simulations allowed us to design the EAGLE’s case in order to have a maximum deformation of 0.002 millimeters if loaded with 10 kg of weight. The EAGLE case comes with M5 and M6 threaded holes to seamlessly attach PLUS accessories (support rings, guide rings, dovetail bars or dovetail clamps), at at least 2 points to maintain the system's rigidity. For example, the EAGLE can be installed between the PLUS support rings and guiding rings, without any flexure improving the portability of your telescope and allowing it to be moved to the field pre-assembled, greatly reducing reducing your setup time.

 

 

EAGLE5 S: dimensions and weight

EAGLE5 S includes all these advanced features in an aluminum, lightweight, compact all-in-one chassis designed to be installed on your telescope in the way you prefer. This way you can connect all the USB and 12V power cables from your devices to the EAGLE greatly improving your cable management. The EAGLE5 S weights just 1.25 kg (2.75 lbs). In the picture you can see all the dimensions with positions of M6 and M5 threaded holes to connect rings, bars and clamps.

 

 

Performance comparison with a miniPC.

EAGLE not only offers exclusive features for advanced astrophotography, but also all the power of a real computer (superior to a Mini PC) to allow you to use any astrophotography software. In order to test its performance, we used the PCMark benchmark and compared EAGLE5 S, EAGLE5 PRO and EAGLE5 XTM with one of the many Mini PCs on the market (where we installed the same EAGLE operating system for a precise results comparison). As you can see in the picture below, EAGLE5 S offer 183% more performance than a common Mini PC with Intel Celeron N3160 processor, 4GB of RAM and SSD disk; EAGLE5 PRO increases even more to +231% and the faster EAGLE5 XTM boosts everything to an incredible +316%!

 

 

 

EAGLE: a complete family of computers for telescopes.

All EAGLE computers run Windows so you can install your preferred Windows software and use the devices you want, but in order to better suit everyone’s needs, we developed a complete line of EAGLE computers providing different computing power, memory capacity, disk space, advanced features and integrated sensors. This allows you to choose the EAGLE that best fits your application, power requirements and budget. In the table below you will find the specifications of all the EAGLE models with different processors, RAM memories, SSD disks, USB ports, HDMI ports, wireless and wired connectivity, integrated sensors and operative systems.

 

 

 

EAGLE5 S computer for telescopes and astrophotography: scope of delivery.

• EAGLE5 S computer
• 2 WiFi antennas
• 1x GPS antenna
• 12V power cable with cigarette plug for EAGLE - 250cm
• n.4 M6x8 screws + n.4 M6x10 screws + n.4 M6x12 screws + n.4 n.4 M6x18 screws + n.4 M6x25 screws + n.4 M6x35 screws
• Quick guide

 

 

 

Watch the movie PrimaLuce Mission: the new EAGLE.

Even the most experienced spy requires the most advanced and powerful equipment! Follow Filippo on his new mission: to infiltrate PrimaLuceLab headquarters in Italy and uncover the latest intel on the new EAGLE computer for telescopes and astrophotography!