TITLE: GCN GRB OBSERVATION REPORT NUMBER: 997 SUBJECT: GRB 010214, I-band data DATE: 01/02/28 16:50:52 GMT FROM: Sylvio Klose at TLS Tautenburg S. Klose, B. Stecklum, H. Linz, and U. Laux (Thueringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg) report: The error box of GRB 010214 (Gandolfi et al., GCN #932) was imaged in the I-band using the Tautenburg Schmidt telescope equipped with the Schmidt focus CCD camera (2k x 2k). The observing log is as follows: Run 1: Feb 15, 0:55 UT - 1:35 UT and 2:24 UT - 3:05 UT Run 2: Feb 16, 2:01 UT - 2:48 UT and 3:38 UT - 3:48 UT Run 3: Feb 27, 3:44 UT - 4:24 UT. The R-band afterglow candidate reported by Rol et al. (GCN #955) is clearly detected on the combined frames taken during the second observing run. Based on the DSS2 red coordinate system we obtain for this source RA, DEC (2000) = 17:41:03.0, 48:34:29 (+/- 0.4"). Using the photometric standards provided by Henden (GCN #988) we measure a mean I-band magnitude of 21.9 +/- 0.4 during run 2. The combined frames of run 1 are somewhat less deep and the same holds for the combined frames of run 3. The source is also detectable on these images but very close to the detection limit which excludes an aperture photometry. However, a visual comparison of the optical appearance of the afterglow candidate on these images with the optical appearance of a near-by, faint stellar object at RA, DEC (2000) = 17:41:07.7, 48:35:02 (+/- 0.8") allows us to state that we see no evidence for a fading of the afterglow candidate between run 1 and run 3. Any fading must be less than about 0.5 mag. In conclusion, if this source is the combined OT + underlying host galaxy then even during our first observing run (about 0.7 days after the burst) the I-band flux of the afterglow did not exceed the I-band flux of the underlying host by more than about 50 percent. The I-band image is posted on the Tautenburg Web page at http://www.tls-tautenburg.de/research/grb010214.html. It can also be obtained via anonymous ftp from ftp.tls-tautenburg.de, directory /pub/klose/GCN/. This message is quotable.