Twenty Years of Timing SS433

We present observations of the optical ``moving lines'' in spectra of the Galactic relativistic jet source SS433 spread over a twenty year baseline from 1979 to 1999. The red/blue-shifts of the lines reveal the apparent precession of the jet axis in SS433, and we present a new determination of the precession parameters based on these data. We investigate the amplitude and nature of time- and phase-dependent deviations from the kinematic model for the jet precession, including an upper limit on any precessional period derivative of $\dot P < 5 \times 10^{-5}$. We also dicuss the implications of these results for the origins of the relativistic jets in SS433.Comment: 21 pages, including 9 figures. To appear in the Astrophysical Journa

A new magnetic cataclysmic variable: WGA J1047.1+6335

A new ultrasoft X-ray source, WGA J1047.1+6335, was discovered during a search of the ROSAT PSPC pointed observations, data from which are publicly available (White, Giommi, &amp; Angelini; Singh et al.). We identify the X-ray source with an optical object of V≃19.4 mag in the error circle of the X-ray source position. Optical and X-ray photometry has revealed the presence of an ~40 minute period. Strong emission lines of H and He have been detected in its optical spectrum. The X-ray spectrum of WGA J1047.1+6335 is best fitted with a blackbody (kT≃40-50 eV) with negligible interstellar absorption and no X-rays with energies greater than 0.5 keV. Polarimetry shows a high amplitude (20% circular polarization) variation on an 80 minute timescale. These properties all suggest a polar with an 80 minute orbital period and either beaming/self-eclipsing effects from one pole or nearly equal emission from two poles