Black Holes: Theory and Observation: Proceedings of the 179th W.E. Heraeus Seminar Held at Bad Honnef, Germany, 18-22 August 1997

This book addresses graduate students in the first place and is meant as a modern compendium to the existing texts on black hole astrophysics. The authors present in pedagogically written articles our present knowledge on black holes covering mathematical models including numerical aspects and physics and astronomical observations as well. In addition, in their write-up of a panel discussion the participants of the school address the existence of black holes consenting that it has by now been verified with certainty.