TITLE:   GCN GRB OBSERVATION REPORT
NUMBER:  131
SUBJECT: GRB 980703 H-band Observations
DATE:    98/07/07 04:08:44 GMT
FROM:    Arne A. Henden at USNO/USRA  <aah@nofs.navy.mil>

The U. S. Naval Observatory GRB team (A. A. Henden, F. J. Vrba, 
C. B. Luginbuhl, H. H.  Guetter, B. Canzian, S. E. Levine, J. A. Munn),
D. H. Hartmann (Clemson Univ.), and M. C. Jennings (IGPP, UCR visitor)

report the H-band detection of the GRB 980703 optical candidate
proposed by Frail, et. al. (GCN #128).  Observations were obtained with
the USNO Flagstaff Station 1.55-m telescope and IRCAM (Rockwell/NICMOS HgCdTe)
camera on UT 1998 July 4.458 under photometric conditions.  The
H-band object was at RA 23:59:06.70, DEC +08:35:07.1 (J2000), consistent
with the position by Frail, et. al.  Based on a nearby standard, we measure
the source to have H = 17.55 +/ 0.20.  Using Frail, et. al.'s rough
calibration of R = 20.2 for their July 4.48 observation of the optical
candidate, implies R-H = 3.6 +/- 0.3 if the USNO-A photometric error is
about +/- 0.2 mag.

For further information contact Arne A. Henden at aah@nofs.navy.mil or by
telephone at (520) 779-5132.

This GCN note can be cited.