is surrounded by a thick disk of material that has been drawn from the normal companion star. This accretion disk generates incredible amounts of energy. It also causes spectacular jets to shoot from the poles of the dense companion. The jets can be observed in several wavelengths, as well as in optical spectroscopic measurements. The Doppler shift of SS433ΓÇÖs spectral lines suggests the jets are moving at speeds approximately one quarter that of light. The jets of SS433 are a miniature version of those observed in some active galaxies and, probably, in quasars. If all radio jets are formed through similar mechanisms, further study of SS433 will lead to an understanding of its much larger cousins.
