{
  "bibcode": "2008GCN..7949....1F",
  "body": "Johan P. U. Fynbo, Daniele Malesani, & Bo Milvang-Jensen (DARK), report \non behalf of a larger collaboration:\n\nWe observed the field of GRB 080707 (Schady et al., GCN 7947) with the \nESO VLT equipped with FORS1.\n\nInside the XRT error circle, we detect the object first reported by \nClemens et al. (GCN 7948) in the R and I bands. The source had R ~ 19.6 \non 2008 Jul 7.385 UT (47 min after the trigger), calibrated against \nUSNO-B1. This object is not visible in the DSS (which reaches a deeper \nlimit) and seems brighter than in the later observation reported by \nClemens et al. (GCN 7948). It is thus very likely the optical afterglow \nof GRB 080707. A finding chart is posted at\n\nhttp://www.astro.ku.dk/~malesani/GRB/080707/080707_finder.jpg\n\nFORS1 spectra were acquired between Jul 7.397 and 7.441 UT with grism \n300V. From detection of FeII and MgII absorption features, we infer a \nredshift z = 1.23. A conservative upper limit z < 2.2 can be set from \nthe lack of Lyman alpha forest in the blue\n\nWe acknowledge excellent and enthusiastic support from the observing \nstaff at Paranal, in particular Chris Lidman, Lorena Faundez, Claudia \nReyes, and Dominique Naef.\n\n[GCN OPS NOTE(07jul08): The two occurances of \"GCN 7984\" was changed\nto \"GCN 7948\".]",
  "circularId": 7949,
  "createdOn": 1215434544000,
  "email": "malesani@astro.ku.dk",
  "subject": "GRB 080707: VLT redshift",
  "submitter": "Daniele Malesani at Niels Bohr Inst,Dark Cosmology Center  <malesani@astro.ku.dk>",
  "eventId": "GRB 080707"
}