{
  "bibcode": "2000GCN...872....1F",
  "body": "A. Fruchter, (STScI), P. Vreeswijk (Amsterdam), V. Sokolov (SAO RAS)\nand A. Casto-Tirado (IAA-Granada, INTA-Madrid) report on behalf of the \nlarger HST GRB collaboration report:\n\nWe observed the field of GRB 991208 with the HST STIS CCD on August 3,\n2000, or approximately 8 months after outburst.  A total exposure time\nof 5210s was obtained in the (50CCD) clear aperture.  At the position\nof the burst we find a very compact galaxy with a magnitude of V= 24.6\n+/- 0.15, where a conservative error bar is given due to the very wide\nbandpass of the filter.  The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the\ngalaxy is measured as 0.\"095, only marginally larger than the intrinsic\n0.\"08 of the STIS PSF.  However, both curve-of-growth analysis and\ndirect subtaction of a STIS PSF indicate that the object is indeed\nresolved.  We estimate the intrinsic FWMH of the core of the galaxy is\nless than 0.\"06.\n\nComparison of the HST image with ground-based images (Castro-Tirado et\nal., A&A submitted, see also GCN 452) shows the position of the optical\ntransient to be offset from the center of the host by less than the\n0.\"1 one-sigma uncertainty in the relative positions.\n\nWe believe the ellipticity and position angle reported for the host by\nBloom et al. (GCN 764) is due to the presence of a fainter, small\nobject located approximagely 1\" to the ESE of the host.  It is not clear\nfrom the HST image whether these two objects are merely close due to a\nprojection effect or whether they are indeed physically related.\n\nThe wider (50\") field of the STIS CCD shows a rich association of\nspiral galaxies surrounding the position of the OT.  While some of the\nspirals show grand design or prominent bulges, and are up to 5\" across,\nwe cannot rule out the possibility that the host of the GRB (which is\nat a redshift of 0.7, Dodonov et al., GCN 475) is a member of this\napparent group of galaxies.\n\nThe images can be seen at http://www.stsci.edu/~fruchter/GRB/991208 .\n\nThis GCN may be cited.",
  "circularId": 872,
  "createdOn": 973109121000,
  "email": "fruchter@stsci.edu",
  "subject": "GRB 991208:  HST Imaging of the Host Galaxy",
  "submitter": "Andrew S. Fruchter at STScI  <fruchter@stsci.edu>",
  "eventId": "GRB 991208"
}