Chandra and XMM detect X-rays emitted during accretion onto supermassive black holes, even when they are highly obscured. I review what has been learned about the cosmic evolution of the X-ray luminosity functions and the reconstruction of the accretion history of supermassive black holes from extensive follow-up observations of both deep and wide-area Chandra X-ray surveys.

Over 150 extrasolar planets are known to orbit sun-like stars. A growing number of them (9 to date) are transiting “hot Jupiters” whose physical characteristics can be measured. Atmospheres of two of these planets have already been detected. We summarize the atmosphere detections and useful upper limits, focusing on the MOST albedo upper limit and II exosphere detection for IID 209458b as the most relevant for photochemical models. We describe our photochemical model for hot Jupiters and present a summary explanation of the main results: a low gas-phase abundance of hydrocarbons; an absence of hydrocarbon hazes; and a large reservoir of II atoms in the upper atmospheres of hot Jupiters. We conclude by relating these model results to the relevant observational data.

We present X-ray properties of NGC 300 point sources, extracted from 66 ksec of XMM-Newton data taken in 2000 December and 2001 January. A total of 163 sources was detected in the energy range of 0.3–6 keV. We report on the global properties of the sources detected inside the $D_{25}$ optical disk, such as the hardness ratio and X-ray fluxes, and spectral fitting of the brightest sources. We also present some properties of their optical counterparts found in B, V, and R images from the 2.2 m MPG/ESO telescope. Furthermore, we cross-correlate the X-ray sources with SIMBAD, the USNO-A2.0 catalog, and radio catalogues.

We study high mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) in the Galaxy using data of the INTEGRAL observatory. High sensitivity survey of the whole Galaxy with a possibility to detect absorbed sources significantly enlarged our sample of HMXBs in a comparison with the previous studies. Large fraction of detected high mass X-ray binaries is highly photoabsorbed. We investigated the HMXBs distribution along the Galactic plane and found their strong concentrations toward Galactic spiral arms, confirming previous results of Grimm et al. (2002) obtained using smaller sample of sources. We conclude that the mapping of Galactic HMXBs should be important tool to trace the star formation regions at the opposite side of the Galaxy.

We present the results of a Chandra observation made of the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 7793: the effective exposure time of this observation was 49094 seconds. Twenty-two discrete sources were identified at a minimum of a 3$\sigma$ level to an estimated limiting luminosity of ∼$2\times10^{36}$ ergs sec$^{-1}$. We have performed a spectral analysis of the known ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) in this galaxy: statistically-acceptable fits to the spectrum can be obtained with either a power law model, a bremsstrahlung model or a DISKBB model. We have also searched for counterparts at multiple wavelengths to these sources: based on this search, we have classified two supernova remnants, one HII region and two foreground stars.

We present results from an ongoing program to map the spatial distribution of ices in dark cloud cores with the Spitzer Space Telescope and VLT-ISAAC. The ice maps are used to directly trace the freeze-out of CO and the formation of H2O, CH3OH and CO2.

We present the results of an on-going program for the identification and characterization of optical counterparts of Ultra-Luminous X-ray (ULX) sources. The targets have been selected from the catalogues by Colbert & Ptak (2002) and Swartz et al. (2004). A clear identification based on unambiguous optical spectral features was possible for 26 objects. A large number of objects result to be QSOs at higher redshift than the putative parent galaxy, and other ULXs seem to be associated to HII regions. In a few cases the optical counterpart results a foreground star in our galaxy. The observational program will continue to obtain a representative sample for statistical studies.

An asteroid family is a group of asteroids with similar orbits and spectra that was produced by a collisional breakup of a large parent body. To identify asteroid families, researchers look for clusters of asteroid positions in the space of proper orbital elements. These elements, being more constant over time than osculating orbital elements, provide a dynamical criterion of whether a group of bodies has a common ancestor. More than fifty asteroid families have been identified to date. Their analysis produced several important insights into the physics of large scale collisions, dynamical processes affecting small bodies in the Solar System, and surface and interior properties of asteroids.

The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) is an international and multi-agency space mission that will study the cosmos in the energy range 10 keV – 300 GeV. The GLAST Science Support Center (GSSC) is the scientific community's interface with GLAST. The GSSC will provide data, analysis software and documentation. In addition, the GSSC will administer the guest investigator program for NASA HQ. Consequently, the GSSC will provide proposal preparation tools to assist proposers in assessing the feasibility of observing sources of interest.

INTEGRAL is the first gamma-ray astronomy mission with a sufficient sensitivity and angular resolution combination appropriate to the detection and identification of considerable numbers of gamma-ray emitting sources. The large field of view enables INTEGRAL to survey the Galactic Plane on a regular ($\sim$weekly) basis as part of the core programme. The first source catalogue, based on the 1st year of core programme data ($\sim$5 Msec) has been completed and published (Bird et al. 2004). It contained 123 $\gamma$-ray sources (24 HMXB, 54 LMXB, 28 “unknown”, plus 17 others) - sufficient numbers for a reasonable statistical analysis of their global properties. The detection of previously unknown $\gamma$-ray emitting sources generally exhibiting high intrinsic absorption, which do not have readily identifiable counterparts at other wavelengths, is intriguing. The substantial fraction of unclassified $\gamma$-ray sources suggests they must constitute a significant family of objects. In this paper we review the global characteristics of the known galactic sources as well as the unclassified objects.

We present results of optical follow-up observations of candidate ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs). Using Keck optical spectroscopy, 17 of the candidates from the Colbert & Ptak (2002) catalog have been identified; this is one of the largest sets of optical identifications of such objects thus far. 15 are background active galactic nuclei (AGN); 2 are foreground stars in our Galaxy. These findings are compared with background and foreground object expectations, as derived from log $N$-log $S$ relations. Also, the results are briefly discussed in terms of the spiral-galaxy/ULX connection.

We analyze the upper-end X-ray luminosity function (XLF) observed in elliptical galaxies for point sources. We propose that the observed XLF is dominated by transient BH systems in outburst and the XLF shape reflects the black hole (BH) mass spectrum among old X-ray transients. The BH mass spectrum – XLF connection depends on a weighting factor that is related to the transient duty cycle and depends on the host-galaxy age, the BH mass and the donor type (main sequence, red giant, or white dwarf). We argue that the assumption of a constant duty cycle for all systems leads to results inconsistent with current observations. The type of dominant donors in the upper-end XLF depends on what type of magnetic braking operates: in the case of “standard” magnetic braking, BH X-ray binaries with red-giant donors dominate, and in the case of weaker magnetic braking prescriptions main sequence donors dominate.

Outer satellites of the planets have distant, eccentric orbits that can be highly inclined or even retrograde relative to the equatorial planes of their planets. These irregular orbits cannot have formed by circumplanetary accretion and are likely products of early capture from heliocentric orbit. The irregular satellites may be the only small bodies remaining which are still relatively near their formation locations within the giant planet region. The study of the irregular satellites provides a unique window on processes operating in the young solar system and allows us to probe possible planet formation mechanisms and the composition of the solar nebula between the rocky objects in the main asteroid belt and the very volatile rich objects in the Kuiper Belt. The gas and ice giant planets all appear to have very similar irregular satellite systems irrespective of their mass or formation timescales and mechanisms. Water ice has been detected on some of the outer satellites of Saturn and Neptune whereas none has been observed on Jupiter's outer satellites.

Recent years have seen substantial progresses in our understanding of solar type protostellar structure, and particularly of the chemical structure of the protostellar envelopes. On the one hand, the cold outer regions keep intact the memory of the previous pre-collapse phase, when the dust is so cold and dense that almost all molecules freeze out onto the dust grain mantles. The gas-phase chemical composition undergoes dramatic changes, the most spectacular aspect of which is the huge increase of the molecular deuteration degree, which can reach 13 orders of magnitude with respect to the elemental D/H ratio. On the other hand, in the innermost regions of the envelope – the so-called hot corinos – the grain mantles evaporate when the dust temperatures exceed 100 K, injecting into the gas phase hydrogenated molecules, such as formaldehyde and methanol. Those molecules probably undergo chemical reactions that form more complex organic molecules, which have now also been observed in low-mass hot corinos. In this contribution, I review what we have and have not recently understood concerning both the cold envelopes and the hot corinos of solar-type protostars.

On 4 July 2005 at 5:52 UT the Deep Impact mission successfully completed its goal to hit the nucleus of 9P/Tempel 1 with an impactor, forming a crater on the nucleus and ejecting material into the coma of the comet (A'Hearn et al. 2005). The 370 kg impactor collided with the sunlit side of the nucleus with a relative velocity of 10.2 km s$^{-1}$. NASA's Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) observed the $1_{10}-1_{01}$ ortho-water ground-state rotational transition in comet 9P/Tempel 1 before, during, and after the impact. No excess emission from the impact was detected by SWAS. However, the water production rate of the comet showed large natural variations of more than a factor of three during the weeks before the impact.

We report the first astronomical detection of the CF$^+$ (fluoromethylidynium) ion, obtained by recent observations of its $J = 1-0$ (102.6 GHz), $J = 2-1$ (205.2 GHz), and $J = 3-2$ (307.7 GHz) pure rotational emissions toward the Orion Bar. Our search for CF$^+$ — carried out using the IRAM 30m and APEX 12m telescopes—was motivated by recent theoretical models that predict CF$^+$ abundances of a $\rm few \times 10^{-10}$ in UV-irradiated molecular regions where C$^+$ is present. The measurements confirm the predictions. They provide support for our current theories of interstellar fluorine chemistry, which suggest that hydrogen fluoride should be ubiquitous in interstellar gas clouds.

We present a new analysis of the light curve of the secondary star in the PSR B1957+20 system. Combining previous data and new data points at minimum from the Hubble Space Telescope, we have 100% coverage in the R-band. We also have a number of new K$_s$ band data points, which we use to constrain the IR magnitude of the system. We model this with the Eclipsing Light Curve code. From the modeling we obtain colour information about the secondary at minimum in BVRI & K. For our best fit model we are able to constrain the system inclination to 66.6 $\pm$ 2.1$^o$ for pulsar masses ranging from 1.35 – 1.9 M$_{\odot}$. The pulsar mass is unconstrained. We also find that the secondary is not filling its Roche lobe, which has important consequences for evolutionary models of this system. The temperature of the un-irradiated side of the companion is in agreement with previous estimates.

We present a study of the variable X-ray source populations in the Antennae galaxies and a small sample of nearby star-forming galaxies. We find that source variability does not affect the shape of their X-ray luminosity functions. Several of the sources detected in the Antennae exhibit a wide range of spectral variability patterns. Finally, from our study of a small sample of nearby star-forming galaxies, we find a weak indication for variations of the shape of their luminosity functions.

We have investigated 136 Chandra extragalactic sources without broad emission lines, including 93 NELG and 43 ALG. Based on $f_X/f_O$, $L_X$, X-ray spectral hardness and optical emission line diagnostics, we have conservatively classified 36 normal galaxies (20 spirals and 16 ellipticals) and 71 AGNs. Their redshift ranges from 0.01 to 1.2, while normal galaxies are at z=0.01–0.3. Our sample galaxies appear to share similar characteristics with local galaxies in terms of X-ray luminosities and spectral properties, as expected from the X-ray binary populations and the hot ISM. In conjunction with normal galaxies found in other surveys, we found no statistically significant evolution in $L_X/L_B$, within the limited z range ($<$0.1). We have built our log(N)-log(S) relationship of normal galaxies in the flux range, $f_X$ (0.5–8.0) = $10^{-15}$–$10^{-13}$ erg sec$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$, after correcting completeness by a series of simulations. The best-fit slope is −1.5 for both soft (0.5–2.0 KeV) and broad (0.5–8.0 KeV) energy bands, which is considerably steeper than that of AGN-dominated cosmic background sources at faint fluxes, but slightly flatter than the previous estimate, indicating normal galaxies will exceed in number over the AGN population at $f_X<10^{-18}$ erg sec$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$.

We review processes leading to the orbital migration of bodies ranging from dust particles up to protoplanets in the earth mass range in protoplanetary disks. The objects most at risk of being lost from the disk have dimensions of the order of metres. To retain these it may be necessary to invoke either strong turbulence or trapping due to special flow features such as vortices. Migration also becomes important for protoplanets with mass exceeding $0.1M_{\oplus}$. In this case it can also lead to the attainment of commensurabilities for pairs of protoplanets. Such pairs could be left behind after disk dispersal. We review some recent work on the attainment of commensurabilities for protoplanets in the earth mass range.