TITLE: GCN CIRCULAR NUMBER: 7517 SUBJECT: GRB 080319C: Gemini-North spectroscopic redshift DATE: 08/03/25 18:37:49 GMT FROM: Klaas Wiersema at U of Leicester K. Wiersema, N. Tanvir (University of Leicester), P. Vreeswijk, J. Fynbo (DARK Cosmology Centre), R. Starling, E. Rol (Leicester) and P. Jakobsson (Hertfordshire) report on behalf of a large collaboration: We observed the afterglow of GRB 080319C (GCN 7442) with Gemini North, using the GMOS-N instrument. We took spectra using the B600 grism (exposure time 4 x 900s) in bad weather conditions: exposures were taken through holes in the cloud deck. Observations started at 14:51 UT on March 19th. The spectrum shows several absorption lines of C IV, Al II, Si II, Al III, Mg I and the CrII / ZnII blend. From these we find the redshift z = 1.95. We are very grateful to the Gemini staff, in particular Paul Hirst, for executing these observations.