2006IAUC.8674....2S

A. Soderberg, California Institute of Technology; E. Berger, Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington; and B. Schmidt, Australian National University, report that a spectrogram (range 320-1000 nm) of GRB 060218 (cf. Cusumano et al., GCN Observation Report Circ. 4775; R.A. = 3h21m37s, Decl. = +16o51'58", equinox 2000.0), obtained with Gemini-South telescope (+ GMOS) on Feb. 21.024 UT, shows that underlying a power-law continuum are features consistent with a broad-lined type-Ib/c supernova (designated 2006aj) near maximum light, confirming the findings of Masetti et al. (GCN 4803). The Gemini-South spectrum also confirms, from several narrow emission lines, the redshift of z = 0.033 (Mirabal, who reported r = 17.6 on Feb. 19.1438 via GCN 4784, and who notes a pre-outburst extended object at the GRB location via GCN 4783). Marshall et al. provide a precise position of the optical counterpart of GRB 060218 from images obtained with the Swift UltraViolet and Optical Telescope: R.A. = 3h21m39s.71, Decl. = +16o52'02".6 (estimated 1-sigma error about 1".0; cf. GCN 4779). Zheng et al. report (on GCN 4802) the following R magnitudes for the optical counterpart of GRB 060218: Feb. 18.4522, 17.8; 20.4471, 18.2.