| Abstract: | Time-domain astronomy is undergoing a transformation. New technologies and techniques for studying time-varying astronomical phenomena are providing a stream of discoveries and insights into the most energetic events in the Universe. I will show how robotic telescopes operating as a network allow us to monitor supernovae both in their rapidly-evolving early stages, and in their long-lasting late stages, and to study the rare phenomena of tidal disruption events and perform a focused search for more. In order to take full advantage of the upcoming Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (which will generate ten million alerts per night) and of the promising future of gravitational wave astronomy, we must accelerate the shift towards robotic, flexible and shared used of observatories and data. |
