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Origin of the black hole in Cyg X-1

Nature volume 259, pages 642–643 (1976)Cite this article

Abstract

THE evidence that Cygnus X-1 is a black hole of mass ≳ 9M⊙ (ref. 1) is not conclusive, but is sufficient to warrant some consideration of the implications of such an object for the late stages of stellar evolution. We argue here that such a black hole must form directly by implosion of a star of mass ≳ 30M⊙ rather than by accretion on to a neutron star. The Galaxy may contain ∼ 107 such massive black holes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 78712

    J. C. WHEELER & G. A. SHIELDS

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  1. J. C. WHEELER
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  2. G. A. SHIELDS
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WHEELER, J., SHIELDS, G. Origin of the black hole in Cyg X-1. Nature 259, 642–643 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/259642a0

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