This book outlines the fundamentals of this fascinating branch of astronomy, and explores the forefront of astronomical research. The author?s passion for the topic shines with an intensity that rivals the book?s many colourful illustrations, and will deeply inspire the reader. The cogently written text introduces the reader to the astronomy of galaxies, their structure, their active galactic nuclei, their evolution and their large scale distribution. Starting with a detailed description of our Milky Way, and a review of modern observational and theoretical cosmology, the book goes on to examine the formation of structures and astronomical objects in the early universe.