Prof. David A.H. Buckley

Over the last decade or so astronomy survey facilities, both from ground and space, have expanded our knowledge of the time-varying Universe. Transient and variable objects, covering a wide range objects and energies, have been discovered across the electromagnetic spectrum and more recently the field of multi-messenger astronomy has opened a new window on the Universe with the detection of gravitational waves and neutrino sources. In this talk I will summarize a programme I have been leading for the last ~8 years or so, utilizing the 10-m Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) in following up new transient discoveries. Much of this work involves co-ordination with other multi-wavelength facilities, particularly X-ray and gamma ray satellites. I will discuss some of the new results for a variety of transient classes, with some emphasis on accretion driven objects involving white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes. The future prospects for transient studies from the Rubin Observatory's 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time, due to start imminently, will also be presented. Finally I will review some of the new global initiatives for optical transient detection, including the Intelligent Telescope and Data Network, a BRICS flagship programme, plus the Global Open Transient Telescope Array, a new Chinese project.