{
  "createdOn": 1688022884168,
  "eventId": "GRB 230628E",
  "bibcode": "2023GCN.34118....1M",
  "circularId": 34118,
  "subject": "GRB230628E: VLT optical identification of afterglow candidate",
  "body": "D. B. Malesani (Radboud Univ. and DAWN/NBI) and J. Palmerio (GEPI / Paris Obs.) report on behalf of the STARGATE collaboration:\n We observed the field of GRB 230628E (Salvaggio et al., GCN 34110) with the ESO VLT UT3 (Melipal) equipped with the X-shooter acquisition camera.\n In a single 30 s exposure acquired in the r band, with mid time June 29.0252 UT (2.17 hr after the GRB), we see a new object, very close to the Swift/XRT position, which is not visible in the Pan-STARRS images of this field. Its coordinates (J2000, calibrated against the Gaia catalog, 0.5\" error) are:\n RA = 11:27:23.60\n Dec = -11:27:49.21\n Preliminary photometry (against the Pan-STARRS catalog) yields a magnitude r = 21.2\n We consider this object a strong candidate as the afterglow of GRB 230628E, due to its consistency with the X-ray position and lack of detection in the Pan-STARRS archival images.\n Further observations are in progress. We acknowledge expert support from the observing staff in Paranal, in particular Eleonora Sani (to whom we wish a happy birthday), Thomas Romain (on his last observing night in Paranal), Ditte Slumstrup (who actually discovered the afterglow), and Thomas Rivinius.",
  "submitter": "J. T. Palmerio at Observatoire de Paris - GEPI <jesse.palmerio@obspm.fr>"
}