Containing the latest, groundbreaking discoveries in the field, this textbook outlines the basics of Einstein’s theory of gravity with a focus on its most important astrophysical consequences, including stellar structures, black holes, and the physics of gravitational waves.

Blending advanced topics - usually not found in introductory textbooks - with practical examples, pedagogical boxes and mathematical tools, this textbook maximises learning opportunities and is ideal for master and graduate students in Physics and Astronomy who want to deepen their understanding of General Relativity and its applications.

This new edition has been updated throughout to contain the latest gravitational wave discoveries and the most recent developments in the field, as well as new material on black hole solutions, tidal deformability of compact objects, and gravitational waveform modelling.

Key features:

• Provides a self-contained and consistent treatment of the subject that does not require advanced previous knowledge of the field.
• Explores the subject with a new focus on gravitational waves and astrophysical relativity, unlike current introductory textbooks.
• Fully up to date, containing the latest developments and discoveries in the field.