edited by José P S Lemos (Centro Multidisciplinar de Astrofísica (CENTRA), Portugal), Ana M Mourão (Centro Multidisciplinar de Astrofísica (CENTRA), Portugal), Luís Teodoro (Centro Multidisciplinar de Astrofísica (CENTRA), Portugal), & Roberto Ugoccioni (Centro Multidisciplinar de Astrofísica (CENTRA), Portugal)

This book discusses many of the recent theoretical and observational developments that have significant implications for astronomy and astrophysics. The main themes are (i) cosmology, (ii) gravitational wave astronomy and gravitational physics, (iii) stellar astrophysics, and (iv) active galactic nuclei and disk accretion. There are also contributions on the solar system.

• Cosmology:
  • New Cosmological Data and the ‘Best-Fit’ Universe (O Lahav)
  • Measuring the Universe with the Cosmic Microwave Background (D Barbosa & M Chu)
  • Initial Conditions for Hybrid Inflation (L E Mendes & A R Liddle)
  • The Density Parameter in Scalar Field Cosmologies (J P Mimoso & A Nunes)
• Relativistic Astrophysics:
  • Matter Trapped Gravitational Waves (L Bento & J P S Lemos)
  • Pair Creation of Particles and Black Holes in External Fields (Ó J C Dias)
  • Defining a Test Particle's Velocity at the Schwarzschild Horizon (P Crawford & I Tereno)
• Stellar and Gallactic Astrophysics:
  • Searching the Whole Sky for Variability (B Paczynski)
  • T Tauri Stars: Near Infrared Spectroscopy (D F M Folha)
  • Large Scale Structure and Cosmic Rays Revisited (R Ugoccioni et al.)
  • The Contribution of Stellar Light in BL Lac Type Objects (P Mendes & M Serote Roos)
• Planetary Astrophysics:
  • Galileo/Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer Data from Jupiter: Where is the Water Vapor? (M Roos-Serote et al.)
  • Photometry of Centaurs 1997 CU₂₆ and 1999 UG₅ (N Peixinho et al.)
• Public Lectures:
  • Gamma Ray Bursts — The Most Energetic Machines in the Universe (B Paczynski)
  • The Physics of the Little Bang (J D de Deus)
  • and other papers