TITLE: GCN CIRCULAR NUMBER: 1219 SUBJECT: HETE 1896: Optical observations DATE: 02/01/24 15:36:06 GMT FROM: Paul Price at RSAA, ANU P.A. Price, B.P. Schmidt and T.S. Axelrod (RSAA, ANU) report: We have observed the error box of HETE trigger #1896 with the MSO 50-inch telescope and MACHO imager at 2002 Jan 24.53 UT. Our observations consist of 3x300s exposures which cover the entire error box. We estimate the limiting magnitude of the combined R_MACHO image to be approximately R ~ 19 mag, based on USNO-A2.0. From a visual comparison with the Digitised Sky Survey, we do not identify any obvious transient source within the large error box. Alard-subtraction of another 3x300s combined image taken 45 minutes later does not reveal any variable objects on visual inspection of the residual image. This message may be cited.