GRB 060510B: Identification of Optical Afterglow

GCN Circular #5097 GRB 060510B: MDM Observations and candidate OT

N. Mirabal (U. Michigan) and J. P. Halpern (Columbia U.) report on behalf of the MDM Observatory GRB follow-up team: "We have observed the Swift BAT location of GRB 060510 (Krim et al., GCN 5096) with the MDM 1.3m telescope on May 10 08:50 UT, 26 minutes after the trigger. We detect a faint source located at RA:15 56 29.615, Dec: 79 34 13.02 (+/- 2'') in a 600-s I band exposure, which is a potential optical afterglow for this event. The object appears to be fainter than R~22.5 in a previous 600~s exposure. This supports the idea that GRB 060510B could be a high-redshift or highly-reddened burst. Further observations are encouraged. Results here are very preliminary and analysis is in progress. This message may be cited."

GCN Circular #5098 GRB 060510B: Coordinate correction

N. Mirabal (U. Michigan) and J. P. Halpern (Columbia U.) report on behalf of the MDM Observatory GRB follow-up team: "The correct position of the object reported in our previous circular (GCN 5097) should read RA:15 56 29.615, Dec: 78 34 13.02 (+/- 2''). We apologize for this mistake. We thank Ken'ichi Torii for pointing it out."

GCN Cir cular #5104 GRB 060510b: Redshift

P.A. Price (IfA, Hawaii) reports on behalf of a larger collaboration: We have observed the optical afterglow of GRB 060510b (GCN #5098) with the Gemini North telesecope + GMOS. Observations consisted of 2 x 1000 sec exposures with the 400 lines/mm grating, with the source at an airmass ~ 2. Based on the presence of a strong continuum break around 7250A which we identify as due to Ly alpha, we estimate a redshift of z = 4.9. PAP thanks Nestor Mirabal for helpful discussion. We also thank the Gemini North observing team for performing these observations.

Last Modified: May 10, 2006	jules@astro.columbia.edu