Gamma-Ray Bursts Localized to Within 0.25 Square Degree: a Correlation with Extragalactic Objects

Using two interplanetary burst network catalogues plus additional COMPTEL localizations we have selected similar to 60 gamma-ray bursts that can be localized to less than or equal to 0.25 square degree. We have correlated similar to 30 of these burst locations with the individual locations of five classes of catalogued extragalactic objects in regions of the sky with \b\ > 25 degrees where galactic obstruction effects are minimal. These objects include a total of more than 30 000 individual galaxies, QSOs, rich clusters of galaxies, etc. These objects include a significant fraction of the visible matter in the universe as contained in the clusters, as well as a large sample of the most energetic objects in the universe. We find that any correlation between these catalogued objects and the gamma-ray bursts appear to be within random chance. This places significant constraints on models where the origin of these bursts is assumed to be extragalactic. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.