Prior to gravitational wave detectors, the heaviest stellar-mass black hole known was a bit more than a dozen times the Sun's mass. However, gravitational wave data revealed numerous heavier black holes, with masses dozens of times that of the Sun, only detected through collisions with other black holes.
Observational evidence from the Gaia mission unveiled the largest black hole in the Milky Way outside the supermassive one, with a mass 33 times that of the Sun and situated about 2,000 light-years away. This finding paves the way for further investigations and insights into black hole characteristics.
The conventional understanding of stellar-mass black hole sizes was based on the idea that these black holes couldn't be much larger due to the violent nature of the supernova explosions forming them, leading to limited mass transfer into the black hole. However, the discovery of heavier black holes through gravitational wave detectors signifies a need to reconsider these assumptions and explore other potential mechanisms for their growth.
While the initial belief was that processes like supernova explosions and star mass loss placed constraints on the size of stellar-mass black holes, the identification of larger black holes challenges this notion. The possibilities of excessive feeding and mergers post-formation raise questions about the frequency and mechanisms behind the existence of heavy black holes.
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