X-rays from the Universe: Cosmic explosions and compact objects

Observations with X-ray telescopes provide information about some of the most extreme environments and objects in the Universe. Prominent sources of X-ray emission include compact objects like neutron stars and black holes, stellar explosions, and shocked plasmas where particles are accelerated to relativistic velocities. I will give a general introduction to the field of X-ray astronomy and describe how the properties of these extreme objects can be determined from observations. This will include some recent research highlights regarding stellar explosions and compact objects. I will also discuss future prospects with the next generation of telescopes.