The “Lemon World”: JWST Identifies a Deformed Carbon Planet Orbiting a Pulsar
Chicago, USA – January 5, 2026
The “Lemon World”: JWST Identifies a Deformed Carbon Planet Orbiting a Pulsar, Defying Existing Planetary Models:
A Masterpiece of Gravitational Distortion. In a stunning announcement made from the University of Chicago, astrophysicists using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have detailed the characteristics of one of the most physically distorted and chemically bizarre worlds ever cataloged.
Officially designated as PSR J2322-2650b, this Jupiter-mass exoplanet orbits a millisecond pulsar—a city-sized, rapidly spinning neutron star—located 2,055 light-years away in the constellation Sculptor.
The data, finalized over the New Year weekend, reveals a planet that has been physically stretched into a distinct, elongated “lemon” or football shape by the immense tidal forces of its host star.
More provocatively, the telescope’s spectroscopic analysis has identified an atmosphere dominated by molecular carbon and helium, suggesting a world where “diamond rain” is a persistent meteorological reality.
The Mechanics of the “Lemon” Deformation
The primary mystery of PSR J2322-2650b lies in its extreme proximity to its host.
The planet completes a full orbit around the pulsar every 7.8 hours at a distance of only 1 million miles—roughly 1% of the distance between the Earth and the Sun.
At this range, the gravitational gradient across the planet’s diameter is so intense that the “near side” is pulled significantly harder than the “far side.”
This phenomenon, known as tidal stretching, has deformed the once-spherical gas giant into a prolate spheroid.
“This isn’t just a slight bulge,” explains Dr. Michael Zhang, the study’s principal investigator. “The planet is physically elongated along the axis of its orbit.”
This deformation is not merely a visual oddity; it generates massive internal friction and heat, contributing to the planet’s blistering dayside temperature of 3,700 degrees Fahrenheit.
The “Lemon World” is a world in constant physical agony, stretched and squeezed by the gravity of a dead star that packs the mass of our Sun into a sphere the size of Chicago.
An Atmosphere of Soot and Diamonds
While the planet’s shape has captured the public’s imagination, its chemistry is what has baffled the scientific establishment. Standard planetary formation models suggest that gas giants should be rich in hydrogen and oxygen-based compounds like water or methane.
However, JWST’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) detected an unprecedented concentration of molecular carbon, specifically C2 and C3, with almost no detectable hydrogen, nitrogen, or oxygen.
This “Carbon-Rich” signature suggests a terrifying atmospheric cycle. Scientists believe the planet is shrouded in dark, soot-like clouds.
As this carbon-heavy air is circulated deep into the planet’s high-pressure interior, the molecular carbon undergoes a phase transition. Under the crushing pressures of the Jupiter-mass core, the soot condenses into solid crystals.
The result is “Diamond Rain”—massive, carat-heavy diamonds that crystallize in the mid-atmosphere and sink toward the core like glittering hail. These are not the small gems found in Earth’s mantle, but potentially meter-wide “diamond blocks” that accumulate around a solid carbon heart.
The “Black Widow” Evolution,How did such a world form?
Astronomers believe PSR J2322-2650b was not always a planet. It is likely the “skeleton” of a former star—a companion in a “Black Widow” binary system.
For eons, the pulsar slowly devoured the outer layers of its partner star, stripping away its hydrogen and leaving behind a dense, helium-and-carbon-rich core.
Over time, this stellar remnant cooled and transformed into the exoplanet we see today.
This discovery blurs the line between what we define as a “planet” and what we define as a “star.” PSR J2322-2650b is a planetary hybrid, a recycled piece of stellar matter that has been molded into a new, bizarre form by the same gravity that once tried to consume it.
“Lemon World” is more than a curiosity; it is a reminder that the universe is a master of recycling, turning the deaths of stars into the births of the most exotic worlds imaginable.
A Puzzle for Future Formation Models
The presence of molecular carbon at these levels “rules out every known formation mechanism” for traditional exoplanets, according to the research team.
As the data from Baltimore and Chicago continues to be analyzed, the scientific community must now rewrite the textbooks on how planets can survive and evolve in the vicinity of pulsars.
The “Lemon World” is the first of its kind, but with JWST’s sensors now tuned to these specific carbon signatures, it is unlikely to be the last.
Science Headlines from the Chicago Desk:
• Gravitational Stretching: Pulsar’s intense gravity deforms PSR J2322-2650b into a “lemon” shape.
• Atmospheric Soot: Spectroscopic data confirms a helium-and-carbon-dominated atmosphere.
• Diamond Precipitation: Extreme internal pressures likely create “diamond rain” deep within the core.
• Stellar Remnant: Scientists categorize the planet as a “recycled” core of a devoured companion star.
