GCN Circular 3237

J. Cummings (GSFC/NRC), L. Barbier, S. Barthelmy (GSFC),
E. Fenimore (LANL), M. Galassi (LANL), N. Gehrels (GSFC),
D. Hullinger (UMD), H. Krimm (GSFC/USRA),
C. Markwardt (GSFC/UMD), D. Palmer (LANL), A. Parsons (GSFC),
T. Sakamoto (GSFC/NRC), G. Sato (ISAS), M. Suzuki (Saitama),
M. Tripicco (GSFC-SSAI), J. Tueller (GSFC), D. Burrows (PSU),
J. Kennea (PSU), V. Mangano (IASF-CNR)
on behalf of the Swift team:

At 05:44:03 UT, Swift-BAT triggered on burst GRB 050412 
(trigger=114485) and began to slew 35 seconds after the trigger. 
The BAT onboard position is RA, Dec = 181.120, -1.252 (J2000) 
with an estimated error of <4 arcminutes.  The lightcurve shows 
a complex multi-peaked emission from 9 seconds before the 
trigger to at least 15 seconds after.  There was strong flux in 
all energy bands from 15 to 350 keV.  The 1 second peak count 
rate is 0.8 ph/cm2/s (15-350 keV).

We note that this burst is well suited for ground-based
followup, being anti-Sunward, far from the Moon, away from 
the Galactic plane, and equatorial.

No object was detected by the XRT on-board software, beginning
at about T+100 seconds.  However, the XRT counting rate is 
slightly elevated, indicating a possible weak counterpart.  

Further information from all 3 Swift instruments will be 
available when data from the Malindi ground station are 
received and processed at about 11:00 UT.