[vsnet-grb-info 1725] GRB 050626 optical observations

[GCN Circulars]

TITLE:   GCN GRB OBSERVATION REPORT
NUMBER:  3565
SUBJECT: GRB 050626 optical observations
DATE:    05/07/06 09:37:17 GMT
FROM:    Javier Gorosabel at IAA-CSIC  <jgu at iaa.es>

J.  Gorosabel,  A.J. Castro-Tirado,  (IAA-CSIC), P. Tristam,
T.  Britton, Ph. Yock  (Univ. of Auckland),  S. Guziy,  A. de
Ugarte Postigo, M. Jelinek (IAA-CSIC), O. Bogdanov  (Nikolaev
State Univ.),  report:

"We have  observed the error box  of the INTEGRAL GRB  050626 (Gotz
et al. GCN Circ. 3552).  The observations were carried out ~4 hours  
after
the gamma-ray event with the 0.6 m telescope at Mt.  John Astronomical
Observatory  (MOA) using the  MOA wide  red filter  (Texp=5x300s).  We
note  the presence of  Alpha Crucis  (R=1.3) close  to the  error box,
which produces a  strong background gradient in our  images. Thus, the
deepness  of the  combined  image ranges  approximately  from R~14  to
R~20.5 depending on the position within the error box. Comparison with
the DSS did not reveal any  variable source in the INTEGRAL error box,
including  the position of  the unlikely  X-ray afterglow  (Mangano  
et al.,
GCN Circ.   3564). At  this X-ray  source position  the limiting  
magnitude
of our combined image is approximately R~20."

This message can be cited.