Athena: the Extremes of the Universe from Black Holes to Large-scale Structure
Rome, Italy, March 22, 2012

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Aims of the Workshop

Athena is an observatory-class X-ray mission designed to provide a major leap forward in high-energy observational capabilities, making it possible to address a suite of key questions in modern astrophysics. Athena incorporates revolutionary optics technology and advanced X-ray instrumentation, enabling it to deliver superior high resolution X-ray imaging, timing and spectroscopy capabilities, far beyond those of any existing or approved future facilities. Athena will provide a unique perspective on the Universe, only accessible from space, but complementing the suite of other major facilities, both on the ground and in space, which will be operating at other wavelengths in the next decade.

Athena now replaces IXO within ESA's Cosmic Vision programme as one of the three candidate L-class missions. Athena thus represents a key part of the future of X-ray astronomy. ESA's review of the L-class candidates has just begun and the successful L-class mission will be selected in spring/summer 2012 for a launch slot in 2022.

This one-day workshop is intended to provide an update to the interested italian community on the characteristics and performance of the Athena mission and highlight the wide range of science topics that Athena will address.