Combination of 15, 1 minute images unfiltered.
SBIG STL-1001E CCD. 20" f/6.8 Dall-Kirkham cassegrain telescope at prime focus.
NGC 2281 is a large, scattered cluster of fairly bright stars set against a background of fainter stars in Auriga. Being located some distance out of the plane of the Milky Way, several faint galaxies are visible behind the cluster.