Detection of an Optical Jet from RX Puppis

A region 23 x 36 arcsec in size centered on the symbiotic Mira RX Pup was imaged for evidence of extended optical emission similar to R Aqr. A bright, one-sided jetlike emission feature easily observable in both H-alpha and forbidden N II is found to extend from at least 1.5 to 3.7 arcsec projected distance from the center of the star along the p.a. 15 deg axis. This jet is coaligned with the semimajor axis of the extended 6 cm radio emission nebula recently observed in the inner circumstellar region of RX Pup. The observed forbidden N II/H-alpha ratio is consistent with the emission being due to a plasma photoionized by a hot white dwarf or subdwarf companion. Such a long thin extended feature implies the existence of a very effective mass collimation mechanism possibly associated with a dense equatorial disk.