TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  706
SUBJECT: GRB000615, R-band photometry
DATE:    00/06/15 19:58:37 GMT
FROM:    Krzysztof Z. Stanek at CfA  <kstanek@cfa.harvard.edu>

K. Z. Stanek (CfA), P. M. Garnavich (Notre Dame) and P. Berlind (FLWO)
report:

We have observed the BeppoSAX error-box of GRB000615 (GCN 703) using
the FLWO 1.2-meter telescope on Mt. Hopkins. The center of the revised
error-box (GCN 705) is located at Galactic coordinates (l,b)=(109.58
deg, 38.81 deg), and the Schlegel et al. (1998) Galactic reddening
toward this direction is very small, E(B-V)=0.024 mag (A_R=0.063
mag). The stellar field is relatively sparse in this direction.

We obtained two 300 sec R-band images, starting at UT June 15 10:30
(i.e. about 4 hours 12 minutes after the detection by BeppoSAX)
followed by one 600 sec R-band image starting at UT June 15 10:42.
Visual comparison of our combined 1200 sec R-band image with the
POSS-II red plate, which reaches about R~20.0 mag, reveals no obvious
``new'' objects.  Using DAOPHOT-II (Stetson 1992) on our combined
R-band image we detect about 180 objects with R<20.0 mag in 11x11
arcmin field.

The combined R-band image of the error-box can be seen at
http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/oir/Research/GRB/.

Further observations are planned at FLWO.

This message can be cited.