TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  44240
SUBJECT: EP260409a: Einstein Probe detection of an X-ray transient
DATE:    26/04/09 01:55:16 GMT
FROM:    EP Team at NAOC/CAS <ep_ta@bao.ac.cn>

S. Q. Jiang (NAO, CAS), G. L. Huang, Z. X. Li, J. Y. Cao (IHEP, CAS), W. D. Zhang (NAO, CAS) on behalf of the Einstein Probe (EP) team: 

We report on the detection of an X-ray transient by the Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT) on board the Einstein Probe (EP) mission, designated EP260409a. The transient triggered EP-WXT (ID: 01709259735) at 2026-04-09T00:18:21 (UTC). The WXT position of the source is R.A. = 172.895 deg, DEC = -9.348 deg (J2000) with an uncertainty of 3 arcmin in radius (90% C.L. statistical and systematic). 
A follow-up observation with the Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT) was performed automatically. Within the WXT error circle, an uncatalogued X-ray source was detected at R.A. = 172.9080 deg, DEC = -9.3442 deg (J2000) with an uncertainty of 20 arcsec in radius (90% C.L. statistical and systematic).
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).