{
  "bibcode": "1998GCN...181....1R",
  "body": "James Rhoads (KPNO), Jerome A. Orosz (Penn State University),\nJohn Lee (Yale University), and Keivan Stassun (U Wisconsin);\nreport on behalf of the KPNO GRB followup team:\n \nWe have observed the field of GRB 981226 on 1998 December 27.156 (J.\nLee observing), 28.100 (J. Lee observing), and 29.096 (K. Stassun\nobserving) using the 0.9m telescope and CCD Mosaic Camera at Kitt Peak\nNational Observatory.  Total integration times were 24, 24, and 40\nminutes on the three nights.  Intermittent cloud on the first night\nresulted in a comparatively shallow image, with limiting magnitude R ~\n20.5.  Limiting magnitudes on the 2nd and 3rd nights were R ~ 21.\n(These are very approximate estimates based on the USNO-A catalog\nmagnitude R=16.9 for the star at 23:29:29.3 -23:57:36 [J2000].)  The\nfull field of view is 1 degree, and so covers the entire BeppoSAX WFC\nerror region and more.\n \nSections of the reduced images are available in FITS format\nat http://www.noao.edu/noao/grb/981226.html together with further details.\nPreliminary analysis yields no new sources clearly above the detection\nlimits for the POSS plates, and no convincingly variable sources.  We\ndo not detect any object at the position of the J band transient reported\nby Castro-Tirado et al.  The source reported by Galama et al (GCNC 172) is\napparent in all of our images and does not appear to vary more than 20%;\ntighter limits will require deeper images.\n \nIn addition, J. Orosz observed the field on the same three nights using the\nKPNO 2.1m telescope with R band (Dec 27, 28 UT) and I band (Dec 29 UT) filters.\nThe data cover part of the original BeppoSAX WFC error box.\nThese data are also available from the same web site.\n \nFurther analysis of both data sets is underway.\nThis report is citable.",
  "circularId": 181,
  "createdOn": 914997134000,
  "email": "rhoads@noao.edu",
  "subject": "GRB 981226 optical observations",
  "submitter": "James Rhoads at KPNO  <rhoads@noao.edu>",
  "eventId": "GRB 981226"
}