TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  2334
SUBJECT: GRB030725, optical transient observations
DATE:    03/07/29 15:09:42 GMT
FROM:    Arne A. Henden at USNO/USRA  <aah@nofs.navy.mil>

B. Monard (Bronberg Obs.) reports on behalf of the AAVSO
International GRB network:

Additional observations of the HETE GRB030725 (=H2779; Shirasaki et al.,
GCN 2322) error circle were made with the Bronberg 0.30m telescope
and unfiltered CCD.  Many 45-second exposures with UT midpoint
of 030728.724 were stacked, with a limiting magnitude
of about 21CR (based on USNO-A red magnitudes).

The candidate optical transient located at
      20:33:59.49  -50:40:56.0 J2000
that was reported by Monard (GCN 2324) has now faded below our
detection limit.  This strengthens the assertion that this is the
optical afterglow from GRB030725.  The 030728 fits image will be
uploaded to ftp://ftp.aavso.org/grb/GRB030725 later today.

We encourage observations by other sites.

  The AAVSO International GRB network is greatful for a generous grant from
the Curry Foundation and to NASA for the financial support for the High
Energy Workshops for Amateur Astronomers.