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Sky-Tonight.com / Nebulae and Deep-Sky Objects / NGC2281

NGC2281 Position and Visibility Tonight

NGC2281

Where is NGC2281 right now?

NGC2281 is located in the constellation Auriga. Although NGC2281 is currently 38° above the horizon, it is not visible because it is daytime.

NGC2281 visibility on 2026-08-18

NGC2281 Visible from early morning until sunrise

NGC2281 rise and set timetable

TimeElevation
NGC2281 transit08:1186°
Moonrise, 21% illuminated 09:4971°
NGC2281 set16:57
Astronomical observing session begins19:32-11°
Moonset20:26-11°
NGC2281 rise23:22
Astronomical observing session ends02:5131°
Twilight end03:2637°
Civil sunrise03:5943°
Sunrise04:2848°

Track NGC2281 Position Throughout the Night

← 18 August 2026 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe NGC2281 changing position in the night sky.

NGC2281 — Image Gallery

DSS Blue

NGC2281 — blue-filter image
Blue images highlight younger, hotter stars that emit strongly at blue wavelengths.

DSS Red

NGC2281 — red-filter image
Red images reveal older, cooler stars and emission nebulae glowing strongly in hydrogen-alpha light.

DSS Near-Infrared

NGC2281 — near-infrared image
Near-infrared images penetrate dust that obscures visible light and reveal hidden structures.

DSS Composite Image

NGC2281 — composite color image
DSS color images combine blue, red and often near-infrared exposures into a composite view.

The images come from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) under contract with NASA, using data from UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), European Southern Observatory (ESO), National Geographic Society-Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS II).

Special thanks to National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, California Institute of Technology for their significant contributions.

Finder Chart for NGC2281

Double-click to unlock the map.
Object nameNGC2281
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
NGC2281 coordinates6.80496, 41.07886
Center coordinates6.80496, 41.07886

NGC2281 Passage Through Night

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Current position of NGC2281

Time12:43
Latitude37.3541
Longitude-121.955
Elevation38°
Azimuth297°
Here you can see the current position of NGC2281 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool lets you track its movement throughout the night with accurate, up-to-date information.

Annual motion of NGC2281


NGC2281 will remain visible until May 22, when it moves too close to the Sun and temporarily disappears from the night sky. Time
DateTue, 18 August 2026
Twilight start19:28
Twilight end02:44
Twilight duration7h 17m
Rise23:22
Set16:53
Elevation at transit86°
Transit time08:07
Equatorial coordinatesRA: 06h 48m 17s", Dec: 41° 04' 43s
Magnitude5
ConstellationAuriga
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of NGC2281, including its daily appearances and transit times. The vertical axis shows the hours of the day and the horizontal axis spans the year. The reddish area marks when the object is above the horizon, while the white line marks its daily transit.
You can also view detailed visibility information in a table with exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.

Astrometric and Physical Parameters of NGC2281

Coordinates and Visibility

Right Ascension6.80496°
Declination41.07886°
Magnitude5.40
ConstellationAuriga
Elevation38.4°
Azimuth296.7°

Data Credits

The deep-sky information on this page comes from the OpenNGC project developed by Matteo Verga. OpenNGC provides detailed catalog data for nebulae, galaxies, clusters and other deep-sky objects.

For details or contributions, visit the official repository: OpenNGC GitHub.