TITLE:   GCN GRB OBSERVATION REPORT
NUMBER:  573
SUBJECT: GRB000301C, optical observations
DATE:    00/03/03 19:17:14 GMT
FROM:    Peter Garnavich at Center for Astrophysics  <peterg@mars.harvard.edu>

P. Garnavich (Notre Dame), P. Barmby,  S. Jha, K. Stanek (CfA)  report:

We imaged the ASM error box (GCN 568) of GRB000301C with the
FLWO 1.2m telescope and R-band filter on 2000 Mar. 3.51 (UT)
and detect the optical candidate reported by Fynbo et al. (GCN 570). 
Using Landolt standards taken during the night, we find
a preliminary magnitude of R=20.28 +\- 0.05 mag. This is
very close to the Fynbo et al. estimate taken some 7 hours
earlier.  However, given the quoted errors for the two measurements
there is room for some variability over this time. Further
observations are needed to confirm this source as the GRB
afterglow.

We have calibrated the following stars in R to use as comparisons:

star    Offset East     Offset North      R
A           -6"             -1"         18.05 +/- 0.05
B           -4             -89          18.48
C           70             -55          18.62
D           -7              62          17.04

Offsets are in arcsec from the GRB candidate 
with positive offsets east and north.