MKT J170456.2–482100: the first transient discovered by MeerKAT.

We report the discovery of the first transient with MeerKAT, MKT J170456.2–482100, discovered in ThunderKAT images of the low-mass X-ray binary GX339–4. MKT J170456.2–482100 is variable in the radio, reaching a maximum flux density of |$0.71\pm 0.11\, \mathrm{mJy}$| on 2019 October 12, and is undetected in 15 out of 48 ThunderKAT epochs. MKT J170456.2–482100 is coincident with the chromospherically active K-type sub-giant TYC 8332-2529-1, and |$\sim 18\, \mathrm{yr}$| of archival optical photometry of the star shows that it varies with a period of |$21.25\pm 0.04\, \mathrm{d}$|⁠. The shape and phase of the optical light curve changes over time, and we detect both X-ray and UV emission at the position of MKT J170456.2–482100, which may indicate that TYC 8332-2529-1 has large star spots. Spectroscopic analysis shows that TYC 8332-2529-1 is in a binary, and has a line-of-sight radial velocity amplitude of |$43\, \mathrm{km\, s^{-1}}$|⁠. We also observe a spectral feature in antiphase with the K-type sub-giant, with a line-of-sight radial velocity amplitude of |$\sim 12\pm 10\, \mathrm{km\, s^{-1}}$|⁠ , whose origins cannot currently be explained. Further observations and investigation are required to determine the nature of the MKT J170456.2–482100 system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]