SIMBAD references

G. Tagliaferri, S. Covino, D. Fugazza, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Brera; G. Chincarini, Milano-Bicocca University and INAF, Brera; D. Malesani, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste; M. Della Valle, INAF, Arcetri; and L. Stella, INAF, Rome, on behalf of a larger collaboration, report on optical and near-infrared sub-arcsecond observations, made with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) at Paranal and New Technology Telescope (+ SofI) at La Silla, of the apparent host galaxy of GRB 031203 (http://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/gcn/gcn3/2459.gcn3; GCN 2475), made up to 3 months after the discovery of GRB 031203. The object is located at R.A. = 8h02m30s.2, Decl. = -39o51'03" (equinox 2000.0; GCN 2473, 2490). Preliminary analysis of the R- and I-band photometric data shows a variability fully consistent with the evolution of a supernova, similar to that of SN 1998bw (Galama et al. 1998, Nature 395, 670) at z = 0.105 (GCN 2482), whose maximum occurred about 20 (observed) days after the gamma-ray outburst; R magnitudes (typical relative errors 0.02 mag, plus 0.05-mag calibration uncertainty): 2003 Dec. 15.31 UT, 20.23; 17.28, 20.22; 23.3, 20.17; 28.3, 20.18; 30.24, 20.19; 2004 Jan. 16.19, 20.37; Feb. 20.10, 20.48. This may suggest that the gamma-ray burst and the supernova went off almost simultaneously (± 4 days). Three FORS1 and FORS2 VLT spectra (range 380-750 nm; resolution about 0.5 nm); were taken on 2003 Dec. 20, 30, and 2004 Mar. 1. After subtracting the contribution of the host galaxy from the spectra obtained on Dec. 20.31 and 30.27 (1.5 hr each), broad bumps were detected at approximately 540 nm and 650 nm, similar to those observed in the spectrum of the peculiar type-Ic supernova 1998bw near maximum light (Patat et al. 2001, Ap.J. 555, 900), leading to the conclusion that the observed rebrightening is due to a supernova component, hereby designated as SN 2003lw.