[vsnet-grb-info 11458] GRB 120119A: Gemini-S redshift

[GCN Circulars]

TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  12865
SUBJECT: GRB 120119A: Gemini-S redshift
DATE:    12/01/19 06:01:56 GMT
FROM:    Antonino Cucchiara at UCSC/UCO Lick  <acucchia at ucolick.org>

A. Cucchiara, J. X. Prochaska (UCSC/UCO Lick) 
report on behalf of a larger collaboration:

On January 19.20 UT (53 minutes after the BAT trigger) 
we observed the optical counterpart of GRB 120119A 
(Beardmore et al., GCN 12859) using GMOS-South on the 
Gemini-South 8-m telescope.  

Spectroscopic observation covering 4000-8000 Angstrom wavelength 
range reveals several absorption features, including AlIII1854, 
1862, FeII2586,2600, MnII2606, MgII2796,2803 at a common 
redshift of 1.728.
Also at least an intervening system is present at z=1.212
based on strong MgII2796 absorption features.

We therefore suggest this to be the redshift of GRB 120119A.

We thank the Gemini staff for performing this observation.