Press Release

Subaru Catches a Burst from Space

May 4, 2000


Image (JPEG 129KB)
Caption (TEXT)

Object Name:
Gamma-Ray Burst GRB000301C
Telescope: Subaru Telescope / Cassegrain Focus
Instrument: IRCS
Filter: J(1.25micron), H(1.65micron), K'(2.12micron)
Color: Blue (J), Green (H), Red (K')
Date: UT2000 March 3
Exposure: JHK' 18min each
Field of View: about 1.5 arcmins
Orientation: North to the top, East to the left
Position: RA(J2000.0)=16h20m18.6s, Dec(J2000.0)=+29d26m36s (Corona Borealis)


Explanation:
The Subaru Telescope with IRCS attached to the Cassegrain focus made observations of the optical transient (OT) of Gamma-Ray Burst GRB000301C. Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs for short) are a phenomenon in which a huge amount of energy is released as gamma ray (wavelength < 0.1 nanometer) in a matter of seconds. GRBs were first discovered about 30 years ago but their physical nature has not yet been determined.

Subaru's prompt follow-up provided the first precise near-infrared photometric data for this object. Our results were reported as the GRB Coordinates Network (Note) Circular GCNC 577, 587 (http://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/gcn/gcn3_archive.html) and have been cited by a number of scientific papers being submitted. Astronomers believe that by studying the way in which the optical transients of GRBs fade it will be possible to better understand them.

(Note) :The GRB Coordinates Network: please refer to http://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/gcn/gcn_main.html.

 

 

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