TITLE: GCN GRB OBSERVATION REPORT NUMBER: 1203 SUBJECT: GRB 011211: TNG Spectroscopic Observations DATE: 01/12/14 18:45:21 GMT FROM: Angelo Antonelli at Obs. Astro. di Roma F. Fiore, G.L. Israel, L.A. Antonelli, L. Stella (OA Roma), S. Covino, P. Saracco, G. Ghisellini (OA Brera), A. Buzzoni, T. Oliva (TNG), E. Pian (OA Trieste), E. Palazzi, N. Masetti (ITeSRe, CNR, Bologna) on behalf of a larger collaboration, report: "Spectra of the OT (Grav et al.: GCN #1191) of GRB011211 in the 350-750nm range (total exposure time of about 1hr) were obtained with the 3.5m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) equipped with DOLORES + grism #1 on Dec. 13.27 (UT). The source was relatively faint, V~21.7, and the signal to noise of our spectra does not allow the detection of faint absorption lines. The continuum is peaked in the blue band, and consistent with the V-R of 0.2 measured by Soszynski et al. (GCN #1199) at the time of the TNG observation. A break is evident shortward of about 400nm which may be interpreted as Lyman-alpha forest blanketing at a redshift of about z=2.1, consistent with that reported by Fruchter et al. (GCN #1200). Further analysis is in progress. This message may be cited."