Hello all, FYI, here's what I know about GRB 990123 observation plans tonight: At Kitt Peak, where there is moderate intermittant cirrus, I plan to trigger Target of Opportunity observations at the 4m to get a U band flux; van Paradijs et al will try for BVRI target of opportunity observations with WIYN; and Koekemoer will try for a brief K band image at the 2.1m. The time available at the 4m and 2.1m is limited (15 to 60 minutes integration or so), while WIYN should be on source as long as astronomically possible. The main thing we can't do tonight is spectroscopy (no appropriate instrument mounted). Chryssa Kouveliotou tells me that Palomar may try for a spectrum, but their weather is worse than ours. Flagstaff is clouded out on my latest weather map; Fred Vrba says they (USNO) won't be able to do NIR tonight but may try optical observations if clear. So, my unsolicited opinion is that a spectrum should be APO's first priority tonight if DIS can reach R=21 or so, and that NIR imaging would be a sensible second priority, since there is better redundancy in optical imaging than in either spectroscopy or NIR imaging. Only if everyone else is clouded out might I rate optical imaging above the other options. Best regards, James Rhoads. rhoads@noao.edu ps- I can be reached at 520-318-8205. APO APO APO APO APO Apache Point Observatory 3.5m APO APO APO APO APO This is message 27 in the apo35-grb archive. You can find APO the archive on http://www.astro.princeton.edu/APO/apo35-grb/INDEX.html APO To join/leave the list, send mail to apo35-request@astro.princeton.edu APO To post a message, mail it to apo35-grb@astro.princeton.edu APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO