  New HST observations show that the bright X-ray source in the face-on spiral
galaxy NGC 1073 is located near a ring of recent star formation with an age of
8-16 Myr. This strengthens the association of X-ray sources in spiral galaxies
emitting near or above the Eddington limit for a 20 solar mass black hole with
recent star formation events. Two candidate optical counterparts of the X-ray
source are found. The X-ray to optical flux ratios of both are consistent with
those of low-mass X-ray binaries and higher than most high-mass X-ray binaries,
suggesting that reprocessing of X-rays contributes to the optical light. The
optical magnitude and color of one candidate is consistent with that predicted
for an X-ray binary with an initial donor mass of 6-8 solar masses. However,
the same X-ray binary evolution model underestimates the X-ray luminosity. An
X-ray source list for the field is presented which includes detections of the
nucleus of NGC 1073, three quasars, and an M3e brown dwarf star with high
proper motion.
