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ABSTRACT:
Globular clusters are dense, compact systems of stars that were born at the same time. They have played a major role in the development of many aspects of modern astronomy. The hundreds to thousands of such clusters observed around every galaxy provide a fossil record of the galaxy formation process. The dynamical interactions between stars in these dense stellar systems also leads to the formation of many exotic types of binaries such as low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). LMXBs are tight binary systems with a neutron star or black hole accreting matter from a nearby companion. These X-ray luminous objects provide one of the few ways to study the demographics of evolved remnants. I will present some of the results of our ongoing studies of globular clusters using the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra and XMM X-ray telescopes, and other facilities. I will discuss the implications on the formation and evolution of globular clusters, their host galaxies, and compact X-ray binaries, and the impact on other issues further afield.
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