Bright optical transients (i.e. transients typically visible with the naked
eye) are populated mainly by novae eruptions plus a few supernovae (among which
the SN1987a event). One bright nova happen every two years, either in the North
ot in the South hemisphere. It occurs that current interferometers have
matching sensitivities, with typically visible or infrared limiting magnitude
in the range 5--7. The temporal development of the fireball, followed by a dust
formation phase or the appearance of many coronal lines can be sudied with the
Very Large Telescope Interferometer. The detailed geometry of the first phases
of novae in outburst remains virtually unexplored. This paper summarizes the
work which has been done to date using the VLTI.Comment: Hot-wiring the transien Universe 3, Santa Fe : United States (2013
