For the most part, the star cluster NGC 2281 has escaped the attention of astronomers. It hasn’t been studied in a lot of depth over the years. So many of its details haven’t really been locked down.

So far, astronomers have cataloged more than 200 stars in the cluster. And they’ve ruled out many more stars that happen to line up in the same direction. That makes NGC 2281 a fairly puny cluster.

The cluster’s distance is a bit uncertain as well. Measurements have been getting better in recent years, thanks in part to the Gaia space telescope. It’s obtained precise details on several of the stars in the cluster, including their distance. Those observations put NGC 2281 at more than 1700 light-years.

And its age is still debated, too. Estimates in recent years have ranged from about 275 million to 630 million years. Various studies have used different techniques to plot the age. That includes the types of stars found in the cluster, the number of dead stars, and even how fast the Sun-like stars in the cluster spin; stars slow down as they age.

NGC 2281 is in Auriga the charioteer, in the west-northwest as night falls. The “twins” of Gemini stand to its upper left, with the brilliant star Capella farther to its lower right. Under clear, dark skies, it’s visible to the unaided eye as a hazy patch of light – a star cluster that we’re still getting to know.

Script by Damond Benningfield