One of the many advantages of the EAGLE computer is that it comes with a special aluminum PLUS case with many threaded holes and high structural rigidity to let you easily connect it to your telescope. One of the best way to connect the EAGLE to telescopes, if you have a compact refractor or astrograph with weight not higher than 8 kg (17.6 pounds), is to install it between support rings and dovetail bar, this way creating a great setup for your astrophotography. In this article we describe how to install a telescope above the EAGLE, by connecting it to PLUS support rings and PLUS dovetail bar.
Since the EAGLE’s PLUS case comes with many threaded holes, you can easily connect PLUS support rings and dovetail bars. In order to install a telescope above the EAGLE, first of all you have to connect a PLUS dovetail bar to the bottom part of the EAGLE. As you can see in the picture below, in this example we used the PLLLOS240P Losmandy-style 240mm PLUS dovetail bar (that is as long as the EAGLE) and we connected it to the EAGLE case by using n.4 M6x12 screws.
Attention: in order to connect EAGLE to other mechanical PLUS elements please avoid to use too long screws that may touch the internal electronics of the EAGLE. The threaded part of the screw that exits from the element (ring, bar or clamp) to be connected to the EAGLE has to be no longer than 6mm.
In order to install a telescope above the EAGLE, you have to use the PLUS support rings with a diameter corresponding (with +-1mm tolerance) to the external diameter of your telescope tube. In this example we used the 90mm PLUS support rings (PLLANSU90P). As you can see in the picture below, you can insert 2 screws for every ring. In order to securely fix the PLUS support rings on the EAGLE case, you can use n.2 M5x8 or M6x8 screws (depending on the side of the EAGLE’s case you connect the rings to).
Then you can install your telescope above the EAGLE by locking it with the silver knobs. As you can see in the picture below, this method of installing the telescope above the EAGLE (between PLUS dovetail bar and PLUS support rings) provides a great cable management since you will have many USB and 12V power ports close to the rear part of your telescope, just where you usually have many devices like focuser, rotator, cameras, etc. Please note that the EAGLE’s case is designed to support weight up to 8 kg (17.6 pounds) so, if your telescope weight is higher than this, you have to connect the EAGLE in a different way (for example above the PLUS support rings).
