{
  "bibcode": "2008GCN..8062....1J",
  "body": "P. Jakobsson (U. Hertfordshire), P. M. Vreeswijk (DARK/NBI),\nA. de Ugarte Postigo (ESO), D. Malesani, J. P. U. Fynbo (DARK/NBI)\nand J. Sollerman (DARK/NBI; U. Stockholm) report on behalf of a\nlarger collaboration:\n\nUsing FORS2 on the ESO Very Large Telescope, we have obtained\nlow and medium resolution spectra (grisms 300V, 1200R and 1400V)\nof the optical afterglow of GRB 080805 (Kruehler et al., GCN 8060;\nde Ugarte Postigo et al., GCN 8061). The first spectrum was\ntaken approximately an hour after the burst.\n\nA firm upper limit of z < 2.2 can be placed on the redshift\nof GRB 080805 from the lack of Ly-alpha forest lines in the\nspectrum of the afterglow. This is consistent with the GROND\nobservations (Kruehler et al).\n\nThe spectra display Fe II (2344,2382,2600) and the Mg II\ndoublet (2796,2803) in absorption corresponding to a redshift\nof z = 1.20. There is also tentative evidence of an absorption\nsystem at z = 1.50 (Fe II and Mg II), but further analysis is\nrequired to confirm the reality of this system.\n\nWe thank the Paranal staff for excellent support, especially\nPatricia Guajardo and Yuri Belestky.",
  "circularId": 8062,
  "createdOn": 1217946091000,
  "email": "P.Jakobsson@herts.ac.uk",
  "subject": "GRB 080805: VLT redshift",
  "submitter": "Pall Jakobsson at U Hertfordshire  <P.Jakobsson@herts.ac.uk>",
  "eventId": "GRB 080805"
}