Optical Observations of GRB981226
ATel #38; Przemyslaw R. Wozniak (Princeton University Observatory)
on 29 Dec 1998; 05:05 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Gamma-Ray Bursts
Credential Certification: Przemyslaw Wozniak (wozniak@astro.princeton.edu)
Subjects: Optical, Gamma-Ray Burst
Przemyslaw R. Wozniak reports for OGLE team:
An attempt to observe optical transient of GRB981226 was made
in BeppoSAX 6' radius region reported by Di Ciolo et al. (IAUCirc 7074).
On three nights following the announcement, Dec 27-29, approximately
between 1:15 and 2:30 UT I collected 10 and 15-minute frames in I band,
with the 1.3 m Warsaw University Observatory Telescope on Las Campanas.
This amounted to 70,70,80 minutes of integration each night
at 1.4, 1.3 and 1.2" seeing respectively.
On the first night a faint object at R.A. = 23h29m27s.3, Decl. = -23d56'54"
(J2000) with approximate magnitude I = 20.3 showed some evidence for
decline of the flux. Two following nights did not confirm variability.
It is most likely a faint galaxy close to detection limit on single exposures.
I also looked at object reported by Castro-Tirado et al. (GCN#173)
at R.A. = 23 29 35.0, Dec = -23 55 42 (J2000). On averages of frames from
each night I can barely discern the object at estimated I = 21.4, close
to detection limit, however I don't see evidence for variability in my data.
