TITLE: GCN CIRCULAR NUMBER: 2702 SUBJECT: HETE 3557: Optical observations DATE: 04/09/12 23:41:11 GMT FROM: Paul Price at IfA,UH K. Pimbblet (University of Queensland) and P.A. Price (Institute for Astronomy) report: We have observed the error circle of HETE trigger #3557 with the 40-inch telescope + Wide Field Imager in poor seeing conditions (~ 3 arcsec) with an R filter at 2004 Sep 12.703 UTC. Preliminary reduction involved coaddition of 3 x 300 sec exposures, which cover most of the 22 arcmin diameter error circle (missing the South-most 2 arcmin, and reduced sensitivity in a mosaic gap) to a limiting magnitude of approximately 20 mag. We do not identify any optical afterglow candidate after visually comparing with the Digitised Sky Survey 2 F plate. We plan to reduce and inspect further images, with an integration time of approximately an hour. This message may be cited.