The High Energy Astrophysics Laboratory conducted the workshop with several lectures and hands-on applications as listed in the table below:

The field of high-energy astrophysics studies the processes that occur within stars, black holes, and supernovae. These processes can be monitored by measuring high-energy electromagnetic radiation, including x-rays, ultraviolet light, and gamma rays. Dr. Antonios introduced X-ray astronomy and the astounding discoveries of X-ray astronomers, including neutron stars, black holes in binary systems, and hot gas within clusters of galaxies.

The X-rays coming from stellar sources in our galaxy are thought to be primarily from X-ray binaries, neutron stars in binary systems with normal stars. In these systems, X-rays are produced as a result of material accreting from the normal star to the neutron star. Due to the system's binary nature, observers were able to measure the neutron star's mass. The inferred mass of X-ray-emitting objects in other systems supports the existence of black holes since they are too massive to be neutron stars. Furthermore, different systems exhibited a characteristic X-ray pulse, as had pulsars in the radio regime, allowing a determination of the neutron star's spin rate.

The X-ray sources from some galaxies were highly variable as well. A few sources would appear in the sky, remain bright for a few weeks, and then fade away. These sources are referred to as X-ray transients.  X-rays have also been detected in the inner regions of some galaxies. Ultra-relativistic gas near a very massive black hole at the galaxy's center is thought to be responsible for the X-ray emission from these active galactic nuclei. Finally, diffuse X-ray emission was found everywhere.

Between the 1980s and 2000s, many satellites studied X-ray astronomy, including the HEAO series, EXOSAT, Ginga, RXTE, ROSAT, ASCA, and BeppoSAX, which detected the first gamma-ray burst afterglow. One X-ray mission that continues to contribute to the data available to researchers is the Chandra X-ray observatory (CXO), NASA's current flagship mission for X-ray astronomy. The spacecraft was launched in July 1999 to detect X-rays from regions around galaxies, black holes, and exploded stars that are very hot and high-energy.

Suzaku is another X-ray mission that Japan launched in July 2005. JAXA's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science developed it jointly with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. In addition, the European Space Agency (ESA) has a stake in the X-ray observation field through its X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission, called XMM-Newton. Like Chandra, it was launched in 1999. It has been used to observe ultraluminous X-ray sources and find evidence of intermediate-mass black holes.