Thomas Unise
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered an extraordinary exoplanet that challenges our understanding of planetary formation. The Jupiter-mass object, designated PSR J2322-2650b, exhibits unprecedented characteristics that may represent an entirely new class of cosmic object.
A Planet Unlike Any Other
This unusual exoplanet orbits just one million miles from its host star—a mere one percent of Earth’s distance from the Sun—completing an orbit in just 7.8 Earth hours. The extreme proximity to its star, a rapidly spinning neutron star called a pulsar, creates intense gravitational forces that stretch the planet into an oblong shape resembling a lemon or football.
The findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, reveal what lead author Michael Zhang describes as “the stretchiest planet that we’ve confirmed the stretchiness of.”
Unique Observation Conditions
What makes this system particularly valuable to scientists is that the pulsar emits primarily gamma rays, which are invisible to the infrared-detecting Webb telescope. This creates an ideal scenario for studying the exoplanet without interference from stellar light.
“This system is unique because we are able to view the planet illuminated by its host star, but not see the host star at all,” explained co-author Maya Beleznay. “So we get a really pristine spectrum.”
Bizarre Atmospheric Composition
The planet’s atmosphere defies conventional planetary science with several remarkable features:
- Surface temperatures reaching 3,700 degrees Fahrenheit (four times hotter than Venus)
- An atmosphere dominated by helium and carbon—a composition never before observed on any planet
- A conspicuous absence of elements like oxygen and nitrogen that typically bind with carbon
- Possible clouds of carbon soot
- Potential diamond precipitation near the planet’s core
A Cosmic Mystery
Scientists are puzzled by PSR J2322-2650b’s origin. Few pulsars are known to host planets, and none with such extraordinary characteristics. The researchers propose two main possibilities:
The system could be a “black widow binary” where the pulsar is slowly consuming material from a companion object. However, this phenomenon has only been observed between pulsars and stars, not planets.
Alternatively, as Zhang suggests, this could be “an entirely new type of object that we don’t have a name for.” The planet’s carbon-rich composition appears incompatible with all known formation mechanisms.
Implications for Planetary Science
This discovery challenges fundamental assumptions about planetary formation and evolution. As Zhang explains: “It’s very hard to imagine how you get this extremely carbon-enriched composition. It seems to rule out every known formation mechanism.”
The findings highlight how much remains to be discovered about the diversity of planets and planetary systems in our universe, suggesting that our current classification systems may need expansion to accommodate objects that defy conventional categories.
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