This textbook is designed to serve as a link between the basic disciplines of physics and the frontier topics within high energy astrophysics, aiming at a level of difficulty congruent with that of other physics topics studied at undergraduate level. Therefore, this preparatory and introductory text serves as a gateway to a more detailed study of many of the most interesting and complex phenomena being investigated by contemporary astrophysics. Among others, these include: the evolution of stars, supernovae, neutron stars, black holes, solar neutrinos, and - importantly - the exciting new field of gravitational wave astronomy.
The book is supplemented by a collection of problems with which students can test their understanding of the material presented.

The Nature of the Physical World: Elementary Particles and Interactions.- Elementary Processes at High Energies.- Detection and Instrumentation in High-Energy Astrophysics.- Stellar Evolution up to the Final Stages.- Supernovae.

Jorge Ernesto Horvath has been Associate Professor at IAG-USP since 1997. He is the author of 120 articles in international journals on Relativistic Astrophysics, High Energy Processes, Stellar Evolution and Cosmology, as well as several books in Brazil and abroad for different levels of tuition. He has been advising doctoral students in these areas since 1996. Jorge Horvath received his PhD in 1989 at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina); was a visiting researcher at the University of Arizona, Tucson (1998-1999); and acts as referee and consulting scholar of several international journals, such as Physical Review Letters, Astrophysical Journal and Classical and Quantum Gravity among others. He is the founder and Co-Editor of the Latin-American Journal of Education in Astronomy (RELEA), published since 2003. Currently he is coordinating a project for the furtherance of research in Astrobiology in Brazil.