This book is based on a series of lectures for an Astrophysics of the Interstellar Medium (ISM) master’s degree in Astrophysics and Cosmology at Padova University. 

From the cold molecular phase in which stars and planetary systems form, to the very hot coronal gas that surrounds galaxies and galaxy clusters, the ISM is everywhere. Studying its properties is vital for the exploration of virtually any field in astronomy and cosmology. These notes give the student a coherent and accurate mathematical and physical approach, with continuous references to the real ISM in...