On this page you will find information of interest to current members of the GTN. This page will be updated from time to time, especially if we have an event like a multiwavelength campaign occurring. During such times you might want to check back here for updates and other information.

If you are interested in joining the GTN you should use one of the links in the header at the top of the page.

Current partners can be found in our Partner Information Page.

For continuing news about Fermi (formerly GLAST), see the Fermi NASA Portal page. Some highlights will be posted below.

• February, 2009 - Multiwavelength campaign on Mrk 421 Underway
  We are currently monitoring Markharian 421 in cooperation with the Fermi LAT team. This is one of our GTN Catalog objects, so information can be found on the catalog page. This campaign will continue throughout February.
• 4 December, 2008 - GORT Catches GRB 081203A!
  On 3 December, just before sunrise (sun 13 degrees below horizon), GORT responded to a trigger from Swift via Skynet. It obtained three images (see below) in I and two in R, all showing a bright afterglow from GRB 081203A. Photometric analysis showed that the afterglow was around 12th magnitude during the course of these images, which spanned almost ten minutes post-trigger. Additional images were obtained by observers in Slovakia about two hours later, at which point the afterglow had faded to around R=17. See the GCN for additonal information (including determination of redshift: z ~ 2.5).

  Left shows a Digitized Sky Survey image of the GRB field. On the right is a GORT image showing GRB 081203A and five reference stars used to determine its magnitude. Note that the images have different scales. The DSS image is about 15 arcminutes on a side, and the inscribed box corresponds roughly to the GORT image. The GORT image was taken starting 586 seconds after the Swift trigger. Its exposure time is 80 seconds. Both images have north at bottom, east to the left. Click on either image to see a larger version.

• 26 August, 2008 - GLAST Now Called Fermi
  GLAST is now the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, after the Italian-American physicist Enrico Fermi. NASA held a news conference today to reveal the first light images of the observatory and to announce its new name. The press conference and images can be found online.
• 13 June, 2008 - GLAST Launches
  After its perfect launch on the 11th, GLAST is continuing to behave perfectly as it settles into its orbit. Solar cells and other systems are being turned on, and none have given any indications of problems. Science operation are set to begin approximately 60 days after the launch, so we should begin collecting gamma-ray photons starting around mid August. Check the GLAST web site at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for additional information.
• 29 February, 2008 - New Facebook Page for the GTN
  There is now a Facebook group for the GTN. If you are on Facebook you can join the group and use it to collaborate with other GTN members and to keep up to date with GTN happenings. Use the link in the Applications box, in the upper left of your Facebook home page. This is an experiment to see if we can use some of the highly touted Web 2.0 technology that is available. It is also strictly voluntary. GTN members need only join the Facebook group if they wish to.