AXP 1E 2259+586

Optical observations as response to the observed SGR-like behaviour (GCN Circ. 1435)

4.2-m WHT image (0.'9 x 0'.9 FOV, R-band) obtained on 20 June 2002 with N up and E to the left. The Chandra position (0."6 error radius) for the anomalous X-ray pulsar 1E2259+586 is at the centre (circle).

IAU Circ. 7294 : Bursts from the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar 1E 2259+586 -------------------------------------------------------------------
V. M. Kaspi (McGill University/MIT)
F. P. Gavriil (McGill University)
P. M. Woods (USRA/NSSTC)
report:
We have detected several short X-ray bursts from the direction of the anomalous X-ray pulsar 1E 2259+586, using the PCA aboard RXTE. The bursting behavior was detected during a routine 15-ks duration monitoring observation which began June 18, 2002 at 15:39 UTC. In this observation, ~45 bursts were detected, most of which had duration < 1-2 sec, reminiscent of those seen in soft gamma repeaters. The mean 1-s flux per burst is approximately 10{^-8} erg/cm^2/s (2-20 keV). The Chandra-determined position for this pulsar is J2000 RA = 23 01 08.295, DEC = +58 52 44.45 (uncertainty 0".60 in radius, 99% confidence; Hulleman et al. 2001, ApJ, 563, L49). Observations at other wavebands are encouraged.

GCN Circ. 1435: AXP 1E2259+586 optical observations
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A. J. Castro-Tirado (Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, IAA-CSIC)
R. Rebolo and J. I. González-Hernández (Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias)
N. O'Mahony (Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes)
M. A. Alcaide (Universidad de Valencia)
communicate:
"Following the detection of SGR-like behaviour from the anomalous x-ray pulsar 1E 2259+586 by RXTE (IAUC#7924, GCN#1432), we have observed the field with the auxiliary port camera at the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope at La Palma on June 20, 02:53-03:35 UT. We do not find optical emission within the Chandra 0.6" radius error circle (Hulleman et al. 2001, ApJ 563, L49) down to limiting magnitudes of R = 24.8, I = 20.0."