TITLE: GCN CIRCULAR NUMBER: 8159 SUBJECT: SGR 0501+4516: WHT observations of the possible near-infrared counterpart DATE: 08/08/29 10:34:57 GMT FROM: Nanda Rea at U of Amsterdam N. Rea (U. Amsterdam), E. Rol (U. Leicester), P.A. Curran (U. Amsterdam), I. Skillen (Isaac Newton Group), D.M. Russell (U. Amsterdam), G.L. Israel (INAF) on behalf of a larger collaboration On 2008 August 25 we observed the new Soft Gamma-ray Repeater SGR 0501+4516 with LIRIS, the near-infrared imager on the William Herschel Telescope (WHT) in La Palma. The observations were performed in the Ks band with a total exposure time of 1.8 hours. We clearly detect one object within the refined XRT error circle (GCN 8148), at the position: 05:01:06.74 +45:16:34.1 (J2000) with an uncertainty of 0.25 arcseconds (with respect to 2MASS astrometry). This is consistent with being the UKIRT suggested nIR counterpart (GCN 8126). We find the object at a magnitude of 19.2+/-0.2 (with respect to 2MASS calibration), slightly fainter than the UKIRT detection. We plan to take further observations from WHT in a few days to confirm this very tentative nIR variability. We wish to thank Chris Benn and Rene Rutten for promptly approving our Target of Opportunity request.