TITLE: GCN CIRCULAR NUMBER: 8114 SUBJECT: GRB 080822 (SGR 0501+4516): archival optical observations DATE: 08/08/22 17:49:29 GMT FROM: Denis Denissenko at IKI, Moscow D. V. Denisenko (Space Research Institute, Moscow, Russia) reports: Analysis of the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey plates available at http://archive.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss_plate_finder has revealed a variable object at the following position: RA (J2000.0) = 05 01 06.47 Dec (J2000.0) = +45 16 28.0 with an uncertainty of 0.2". This is 7" from the XRT position of GRB 080822 reported by Holland et al. (GCN 8112), thus formally outside the reported 90% error circle with the radius of 2.6". The above mentioned star is present in USNO-B1.0 catalogue as USNO-B1 1352-0128683 (RA = 05 01 06.42, Dec = +45 16 27.6) with the following magnitudes: B1=19.11, R1=15.99, B2=17.74, R2=15.97, I=16.52. Animation of two Blue and two Red plates, as well as color-combined (BRIR) images covering 101"x101" area around the variable star are available at . It should be also noted that the variable object is located 16" from the ROSAT source 1RXS J050107.9+451631 (catalog position error 13") with the hardness ratios HR1=0.96+/-0.08, HR2=1.00+/-0.12. These values are typical for X-ray binaries, including X-ray transients. Thus, the variable star is most likely associated with the ROSAT source. The optical spectroscopy of this star is encouraged. Also the follow-up X-ray observations of SGR 0501+4846 are required to reveal its true nature, improve the position accuracy and check the possible identification. This message can be cited.