Thoroughly revised and expanded throughout, the new edition is a graduate-level text and reference book on gaseous nebulae, nova and supernova remnants. Much of the new data and new images are from the Hubble Space Telescope with two wholly new chapters being added along with other new features. The previous edition which was tried and tested for thirty years has now been succeeded by a revised, updated, larger edition, which will be valuable to anyone seriously interested in astrophysics.

This book discusses the state of the art of the basic theoretical and observational topics related to black hole astrophysics. It covers all the main topics in this wide field, from the theory of accretion disks and formation mechanisms of jet and outflows, to their observed electromagnetic spectrum, and attempts to measure the spin of these objects. Black holes are one of the most fascinating predictions of general relativity and are currently a very hot topic in both physics and astrophysics. In the last five years there have been significant advances in our understanding of these systems, and in the next five years it should become possible to use them to test fundamental physics, in particular to predict the general relativity in the strong field regime. The book is both a reference work for researchers and a textbook for graduate students.

This book is a comprehensive introduction to the data analysis of ultraluminous X-ray sources. This book will provide the readers with a familiar environment in data analysis methods and the different software used in high energy astrophysical data analysis.

Capturing the excitement and accomplishments of X-ray astronomy, this second edition now includes a broader range of astronomical phenomena and dramatic new results from the most powerful X-ray telescopes. Covering all areas of astronomical research, ranging from the smallest to the largest objects, from neutron stars to clusters of galaxies, this textbook is ideal for undergraduate students. Each chapter starts with the basic aspects of the topic, explores the history of discoveries, and examines in detail modern observations and their significance. This new edition has been updated with results from the most recent space-based instruments, including ROSAT, BeppoSAX, ASCA, Chandra, and XMM. New chapters cover X-ray emission processes, the interstellar medium, the Solar System, and gamma-ray bursts. The text is supported by over 300 figures, with tables listing the properties of the sources, and more specialized technical points separated in boxes.

A thought provoking study of the powerful impact of images in guiding astronomers' understanding of galaxies through time.

Due to the advent of a new generation of detectors, X-ray polarimetry promises to join X-ray imaging, spectroscopy and timing as one of the main observational techniques in high energy astrophysics. This has renewed interest in the field, and indeed several polarimetric missions have recently been proposed. This volume provides a complete and up-to-date view of the subject for researchers in astrophysics. The contributors discuss the present status and perspectives of instruments, review current theoretical models, and examine future missions. As well as detailed papers, the book contains broad reviews that can be easily understood by astrophysicists new to the field.