TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  7393
SUBJECT: GRB 080310: RRM optical photometry with the VLT
DATE:    08/03/10 11:28:50 GMT
FROM:    Stefano Covino at Brera Astronomical Observatory  <stefano.covino@brera.inaf.it>

S. Covino, G. Tagliaferri, D. Fugazza, G. Chincarini, on behalf of  
the MISTICI collaboration report:

We observed the field of GRB 080310 (GCN 7382, Cummings et al.) with  
the VLT equipped with FORS2 with the Rapid Response Mode starting  
from 2008-03-20 at 08:42:59 UT  (about 5 minutes from the burst) for  
almost one hour of continuous observations. The optical afterglow  
(GCN 7381, Chornock et al.) is well detected and it was brighter than  
R~17 (compared to USNO stars) already in the first frame.

A complete analysis is in progress.

[GCN OPS NOTE(10mar08): Per author's request, the "VBLT" in the 
Subject-line was changed to "VLT".]