The gamma-ray burst source GRB970508 was discovered with the BeppoSAX
Wide-Field Cameras on May 8.905 UT. A previous BeppoSAX burst, GRB970228,
revealed an optical counterpart which was visible for ~3 days after the
burst, and reached maximum brightness about 1 day after the burst and
which seems to be located in a galaxy (Van Paradijs, Groot, Galama,
Nature 386,686).
If an optical/infrared counterpart for GRB970508 is found (and that will
become
clear within the next few days), and if this is also located in a galaxy,
ISOCAM 12 micron observations can give very important information on the
nature
of the galaxy.
We are aware that the source position is only visible from August 1997.
For determining the nature of an underlying galaxy to an optical counterpart
it
is needed to have observations when the optical counterpart has faded. In that
respect observations three months after the burst occured are very well timed.