[AAVSO-HEN] GRB 071010A: bright NIR afterglow

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TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  6876
SUBJECT: GRB 071010A: bright NIR afterglow
DATE:    07/10/11 01:07:21 GMT
FROM:    Daniele Malesani at Niels Bohr Inst,Dark Cosmology Center  <malesani at astro.ku.dk>

D. Malesani (DARK), V. D'Elia (INAF/OAR), S. Covino (INAF/OABr), G. 
Andreuzzi, A. Garcia  de Gurtubai (INAF/TNG), and E. Maiorano (INAF/IASF 
Bo), report on behalf of a larger collaboration:

We observed the optical afterglow of GRB 071010A (Moretti et al., GCN 
6859; Klotz et al., GCN 6860) with the TNG telescope located in the 
Canary Islands. Observations were carried out with the NICS instrument 
equipped with the H filter, with mean time Oct 10.82 UT (15.7 hr after 
the GRB).

At the position reported by Bloom et al. (GCN 6861), we clearly detect a 
pointlike object, with H = 16.62 +- 0.05. We note that this value is 
remarkably bright. Assuming typical afterglow colors (Fnu propto nu^-1), 
this corresponds to R ~ 19. When compared to the Keck photometry 
reported by Perley et al. (GCN 6872), this may suggest a flat segment or 
even a flaring behaviour. Alternatively, the afterglow may be very red.

We thus encourage further observations to characterize the afterglow 
light curve and spectrum.

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