TITLE: GCN CIRCULAR NUMBER: 131 SUBJECT: GRB 980703 H-band Observations DATE: 98/07/07 04:08:44 GMT FROM: Arne A. Henden at USNO/USRA The U. S. Naval Observatory GRB team (A. A. Henden, F. J. Vrba, C. B. Luginbuhl, H. H. Guetter, B. Canzian, S. E. Levine, J. A. Munn), D. H. Hartmann (Clemson Univ.), and M. C. Jennings (IGPP, UCR visitor) report the H-band detection of the GRB 980703 optical candidate proposed by Frail, et. al. (GCN #128). Observations were obtained with the USNO Flagstaff Station 1.55-m telescope and IRCAM (Rockwell/NICMOS HgCdTe) camera on UT 1998 July 4.458 under photometric conditions. The H-band object was at RA 23:59:06.70, DEC +08:35:07.1 (J2000), consistent with the position by Frail, et. al. Based on a nearby standard, we measure the source to have H = 17.55 +/ 0.20. Using Frail, et. al.'s rough calibration of R = 20.2 for their July 4.48 observation of the optical candidate, implies R-H = 3.6 +/- 0.3 if the USNO-A photometric error is about +/- 0.2 mag. For further information contact Arne A. Henden at aah@nofs.navy.mil or by telephone at (520) 779-5132. This GCN note can be cited.