GCN Circular 5275

P.A. Price (IfA, Hawaii), E. Berger (OCIW) and D.B. Fox (Penn. State)
report on behalf of a larger collaboration:

We observed the afterglow of GRB 060614 (GCN #5254) with the Gemini
South telescope + GMOS.  Our observations consisted of 4x1800 sec
exposures with the R400 grating and 1 arcsec slit, commencing at June
19.3 UTC.  In each image we identify a single emission line at 7388A
superposed on a continuum emission with no apparent absorption
features.  If this line is due to [O II], the redshift is z = 0.98. 
However, there is a hint of a line at 5634A which suggests that the line
is actually due to Halpha at z = 0.13.

In addition to the bright emission line due to the GRB host galaxy,
there is a brighter emission line at the same wavelength from the galaxy
17 arcsec North of the GRB.  A spectrum from the Magellan telescope
reveals the presence of the [N II] doublet flanking the Halpha line for
this galaxy, with a secure redshift of z = 0.125.  Based on the
identical wavelength of the lines, the two galaxies are likely related,
at a redshift of z = 0.125; in this case, the separation in the plane of
the sky is 38 kpc.

Using the fluence of 2.17 x 10^-5 erg/cm^2 (GCN #5254), a redshift of z
= 0.125 corresponds to an isotropic energy release of Eiso = 8.4 x 10^50
erg.

We thank the Gemini South observing team for obtaining these
observations.