1 From Gases to Clusters: Concepts in Gravitation and Gas Laws 1 --
1.1 Introductory Remarks 1 --
1.3 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics 15 --
1.4 Collective Behavior: Fluids 37 --
1.6 Fokker-Planck Equation 64 --
1.A Gravitational Potential for Homogeneous Spheroids 70 --
1.B A Lightning-Fast Review of Hamiltonian and Lagrangian Mechanics 75 --
1.C General Relativity on the Cheap 77 --
2 Raw Material: Instruments and Observations 103 --
2.1 Role of Instruments 103 --
2.3 Photon Detectors 120 --
2.5 Image Formation 134 --
2.6 Image Reconstruction Methods 146 --
2.A A Note on Cosmic Backgrounds across the Spectrum 156 --
2.B Statistical Distributions 157 --
2.C Properties of the Fourier Transform and Convolutions 161 --
2.D Implementation of Bayes' Theorem 163 --
3 Radiative Transfer and the Outer Layers of Stars 166 --
3.2 Phenomenon of Radiative Transfer 167 --
3.3 Transition Probabilities and Statistical Equilibrium 168 --
3.4 Radiative Transfer 176 --
3.6 Stellar Atmospheres 224 --
3.7 Extended Envelopes and Outflows 241 --
3.A Quantum-Mechanical Interlude: Time-Dependent Perturbation Theory for Transition Strengths 260 --
3.B Radiative Transfer in the Lagrangian Frame 263 --
3.C A Brief Survey of Methods for Solving the Transfer Equation 265 --
3.D A Walk through the Stellar Spectroscopic Zoo 272 --
4 Interiors of the Stars and Stellar Evolution 280 --
4.1 Introductory Remarks 280 --
4.2 Self-Gravitating Spheres 282 --
4.3 Thermodynamics and Equations of State 285 --
4.4 Equations of Structure 292 --
4.5 Stellar Pulsation and Stability 311 --
4.6 Energy Generation Mechanisms 328 --
4.7 Stellar Evolution 357 --
4.A Magnetic Dynamos and the Interplay between Turbulence and Rotation 405 --
4.B Calculation of Nuclear Reaction Networks 410 --
5 Structure and Evolution of Close Binary Stars 413 --
5.2 Eclipses and Their Uses 414 --
5.3 Effect of Proximity: Tides and the Roche Surface 417 --
5.4 Evolution of Stars in Close Binaries 422 --
5.5 Mass Transfer in Close Binaries 431 --
5.6 Cataclysmic Variables and Compact Objects in Close Binaries 447 --
5.7 Formation of Binary Systems: A Comment or Two 453 --
5.A Some Hydrodynamic Details 457 --
6 Interstellar Medium 459 --
6.1 Introductory Remarks 459 --
6.4 Molecular Clouds 522 --
6.5 Magnetic Fields 527 --
6.6 Molecules and Astrochemistry 543 --
6.7 Dynamical Gas Bags in the Interstellar Medium 554 --
6.8 Instabilities and the Formation of Structure 582 --
6.9 Large-Scale Distribution of the Gas 599 --
6.10 Turbulence in the Interstellar Medium 602 --
6.A Synchrotron Spectra: Some Details 614 --
6.B Parker Instability: Some Details 618 --
6.C Dimensional Analysis and Similarity Solutions of the Hydrodynamic Equations: Some Details 621 --
6.D Velocity Correlation Tensor and Representation of Turbulent Flows: Some Details 624 --
7 Our Galaxy and Others as Stellar Systems 629 --
7.1 Galaxy as a Stellar System: Introductory Remarks 629 --
7.2 Large-Scale Structure of the Galaxy 649 --
7.3 Chemical Evolution of the Galaxy 669 --
7.4 Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies: Introductory Remarks 689 --
7.5 Hubble Classification Scheme for Galaxies 690 --
7.6 Rotation Curves: Bright Flow Tracers and Dark Matter 697 --
7.7 Complications: Peculiar Galaxies 700 --
7.8 Clusters of Galaxies 719 --
7.A Deprojection Methods: Abel's Equation and Inversion of Surface Measurements 731 --
8 Biggest Picture: Cosmology 734 --
8.1 Introductory Remarks 734 --
8.2 Distance Scale 740 --
8.3 Fundamental Parameters: The Redshift and the Hubble Constant 752 --
8.4 Relativistic Cosmology 757 --
8.5 Cosmological Models and Evolution of the Scale Factor 765 --
8.6 Cosmic Background Radiation (CBR) 769 --
8.7 Large Structures in the Universe 805 --
8.8 Cosmological Gravitational Lenses 836 --
8.A Gamma-Ray Bursts 842 --
8.B Newtonian Derivation of the Evolution Equations 844 --
8.C Galaxy Formation and [Lambda]DM Scenarios 845.
