George Djorgovski reports:                                           #000

IRAS 18119-1342 and the possible new SGR

  We obtained a spectrum of the IR source IRAS 18119-1342, mentioned in 
  IAUC 6744 by Henden et al. as a possible counterpart of the SGR 18.....
  The spectrum is of the M-type, exremely red (as expected), and shows no
  apparent emission lines, including H-alpha.  Our best guess is that it is
  an obscured M supergiant, unrelated to the SGR.  There is no need for anyone
  else to waste any more telescope time on this object, I think.  Forgot to
  mention: the data were obtained at the Palomar 200-inch on 22 Sep 97 UT,
  and the result can be cited as "Djorgovski et al., priv. comm."

  Best regards, George Djorgovski (george@oracle.caltech.edu)




////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Editorial note from S.Barthelmy:  This messeage is about 8th issued
to the entire GCN list in the last month.  These messages represent
the precursor to the so called "third part of the GCN system" I recently
announced at the 4th Huntsville GRB Workshop.  I have collected all your
comments about this new capability and I will be formulating them into 
the final form in less than a month.  Please bear with me while I do these
manual GCN distributions until the automated version is implimented.
As always, I appreciate hearing from anyone with comments/suggestions
about this new capability (or any other part of GCN).
Sincerely,  Scott Barthelmy  (scott@lheamail.gsfc.nasa.gov).

Ed. Note 22Mar98:  My note above that states this is the "8th" notice issued
was incorrect.  Now that all the circular have been counted, identified, and
archived; this notice is the actually the 5th, but it actaully has the serial
number #000.  See the explanation at the end of the archive list web page.