The Optical Afterglow of GRB 030226.

We report on optical and near-infrared follow-up observations of the afterglow of GRB 030226 performed with the telescopes at ESO La Silla and Paranal. Our observations started 0.2 days after the burst when the afterglow was at a magnitude of R ≈ 19. One week later the magnitude of the afterglow had fallen to R=25, and at two weeks after the burst it could no longer be detected (R > 26). VLT blue-band spectra show two absorption line systems at redshifts z = 1.962 ± 0.001 and 1.986 ± 0.001, indicating a metal-rich environment of the burster, and placing the burster very likely at z = 1.986 ± 0.001. © 2004 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]