How can it say that how much fuel of a star has burnt or how much remaining? Signus X-1 is a black hole then how have we measured that is mass is equal to the mass of six sun approx.?
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Stars undergo changes in their lifetimes that are now fairly well understood (from studies of clusters of stars that were formed at approximately the same time). Therefore, by closely examining all aspects of the light received from a star, one can estimate how far it is along its life cycle and therefore approximately how much of its fuel it has burned.
I believe that the mass of the X-1 black hole is known because it has a companion whose orbit we can observe.
I believe that the mass of the X-1 black hole is known because it has a companion whose orbit we can observe.
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By it's position on the HR diagram (qv)