TITLE: GCN GRB OBSERVATION REPORT NUMBER: 1759 SUBJECT: GRB 021211, optical observations DATE: 02/12/16 01:01:57 GMT FROM: Peter Garnavich at U of Notre Dame N. Caldwell (SAO), B. McLeod (CfA), P. Garnavich (Notre Dame) and K.Z. Stanek (CfA) We have continued to observe the afterglow of GRB 021211 with the MMT plus MiniCam imager (GCN 1750). R-band images obtained Dec. 13.4 and Dec. 14.4 (UT) in 0.8" seeing clearly show the afterglow and a rapid fading. From PSF fitting photometry, we estimate the power-law decay index between Dec. 12 and Dec. 14 is 1.03+/-0.14. This is consistent with the decay rate measured by Chornock et al. (GCN 1754) beginning 12 minutes after the burst. Combining the three epochs allows a clear detection of the possible host galaxy noted on GCN 1750 (also GCN 1758). A galaxy centered 1.5" north and east of the afterglow is cleanly separated from the optical transient . It has an approximate brightness of R=24.8. This is likely the source of emission lines found by Vreeswijk et al. (GCN 1756) at a redshift of z=0.80. Another galaxy of similar brightness is detected 2.7" north of the burst. The average of all R-band images can be viewed at: http://www.nd.edu/~pgarnavi/grb021211_host.jpg This message may be cited.