TITLE: GCN CIRCULAR NUMBER: 20290 SUBJECT: GRB 161218A: TAROT Calern observatory optical observations DATE: 16/12/18 20:58:27 GMT FROM: Alain Klotz at IRAP-CNRS-OMP Klotz A., Turpin D., Atteia J.L. (CNRS-OMP-IRAP), Boer, M., Laugier, R. (CNRS-ARTEMIS), Gendre B. (UVI - Etelman Obs.) report: We imaged the field of GRB 161218A detected by SWIFT (trigger 727288) with the TAROT robotic telescope (D=25cm) located at the Calern observatory, France. The observations started 49 min after the GRB trigger at the end of the night. The elevation of the field increased from 3 degrees above horizon and weather conditions were good. We co-added a series of exposures. We do not detect any OT with a limiting magnitude of: t0+49 min to t0+68 min : Rlim = 17.3 Magnitudes were estimated with the nearby USNO-B1 stars and are not corrected for galactic dust extinction.