{
  "bibcode": "1998GCN...156....1H",
  "body": "J. P. Halpern, Columbia University, reports:\n\nI obtained optical spectra of objects in the error circle of the variable\nX-ray source 1SAXJ1935.3-5252 (Pian et al. GCN 61,69) using the CTIO 1.5m \ntelescope on Oct. 17-21.  A total of 24 objects in the original error circle\n(Pian et al. GCN 61) and the revised error circle (Piro et al. GCN 155) were\nobserved, completing this spectroscopic survey to a limiting magnitude of 18.\nNo compelling candidate for identification was found at this level.  Thus,\n1SAXJ1935.3-5252 remains a plausible candidate for the afterglow of\nGRB980425.\n\nThe brightest galaxy in this field, of approximate magnitude 17.5, has narrow \nemission lines of H-alpha and [N II] 658 nm at z = 0.142, but no evidence of \nnuclear activity.  Its position is RA = 19h35m27.6s, Dec = -52o53'00\" (J2000), \nwhich is within both the old and the new error circles.\n\nDeeper spectroscopy in this field using larger telescopes would be worthwhile,\nsince the optical counterpart of 1SAXJ1935.3-5252 could easily be fainter than \nthe limit surveyed here.   If a definitive identification cannot be obtained,\nmore X-ray observations of 1SAXJ1935.3-5252 are needed to determine if this\nX-ray source recurs.",
  "circularId": 156,
  "createdOn": 909035233000,
  "email": "jules@astro.columbia.edu",
  "subject": "GRB980425 Optical Follow-up",
  "submitter": "Jules Halpern at Columbia U.  <jules@astro.columbia.edu>",
  "eventId": "GRB 980425"
}