TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  42377
SUBJECT: EP251021b: Einstein Probe detection of a fast X-ray transient
DATE:    25/10/22 08:30:35 GMT
FROM:    EP Team at NAOC/CAS <ep_ta@bao.ac.cn>

C. Y. Dai (NJU), Q. J. Huang(PMO), W. F. Wen (SZTU), J. H. Wu (GZHU), H. W. Pan (NAO, CAS) on behalf of the Einstein Probe (EP) team:

We report on the detection of a fast X-ray transient by the Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT) on board the Einstein Probe (EP) mission, designated EP251021b. The transient triggered EP-WXT (ID: 01709247263) at 2025-10-21T14:28:28 (UTC). The ground analysis of the WXT data shows that the event started at T0=2025-10-21T14:28:05 (UTC) and lasted for around 30 s. The WXT position of the source is R.A. = 306.742 deg, Dec. = -38.286 deg (J2000) with an uncertainty of 2.3 arcmin in radius (90% C.L. statistical and systematic). 

We performed a Target-of-Opportunity observation with the Follow-up X-ray Telescope on board EP. The observation began at 2025-10-22T04:41:25 (UTC), around 14 hours after the trigger. An uncatalogued X-ray source was detected within the WXT error circle at R.A. = 306.7451 deg, Dec. = –38.3048 deg (J2000), with a positional uncertainty of 20 arcsec in radius (90% confidence level, including both statistical and systematic uncertainties).

Further information will be updated when the telemetry data is received. Launched on January 9, 2024, EP is a space X-ray observatory to monitor the soft X-ray sky with X-ray follow-up capability (Yuan et al. 2022, Handbook of X-ray and Gamma-ray Astrophysics).