The optical identification of Hercules X-1 with HZ Hercules


The optical identification of the Hercules X-1 system
Author(s):J. N. Bahcall and N. Bahcall
Journal:Published in the 10th anniversary booklet of the Wise Observatory, Tel-Aviv University, 1983, 14-17.

postscript file    pdf file

In the summer of 1973, while commissioning the new telescope and instruments at the Wise Observatory in the Negev desert, we were fortunate enough to identify the first optical counterpart of an x-ray emitting neutron star, Hercules X-1. This article tells the story of how, with the help of dedicated and talented night assistants, we were so lucky as to be able to do useful science with a nascent observatory while discharging our conflicting responsibilities for testing the telescope by making astronomical observations, developing a dark room for photographic processing, and caring for two young boys.


Back to John Bahcall (Popular Papers)
Address questions and comments about this server to webmaster@sns.ias.edu