.. copy-and-pasted from the website called "Daily Galaxy" .. article written by Sarah Jones ..

Daily Galaxy 54.2K Followers A Planet Orbiting A Pulsar Has Just Been Discovered, And It’s Made Almost Entirely Of Carbon Story by Sarah Jones • 2d • 3 min read Credit: Shutterstock | The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel Credit: Shutterstock | The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel © Daily Galaxy CA In a startling new observation, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected a planet with an atmosphere made almost entirely of carbon, orbiting a rapidly spinning pulsar. The planet, named PSR J2322–2650b, belongs to a rare class of black widow pulsar systems, where the neutron star slowly strips its companion of matter. Typically, what remains is a dense, helium-rich core. But this time, JWST’s infrared data revealed something else: an atmosphere filled with exotic carbon molecules, usually found in comets or flames. 1 Page A Day Could Change Your Financial Future Ad 1 Page A Day Could Change Your Financial Future BYB Booksbiz call to action icon more According to SciTechDaily, what JWST found around PSR J2322–2650b doesn’t match that expectation. The data revealed extreme carbon enrichment, with carbon-to-oxygen and carbon-to-nitrogen ratios far exceeding anything seen before in a planetary atmosphere. A Strange Survivor In A Violent System PSR J2322–2650 is part of a category of neutron stars called millisecond pulsars, dense remnants that spin hundreds of times per second. These pulsars are known to erode their companion stars over time through gravitational and radiation pressure. Eventually, they leave behind a compact planetary remnant locked in a tight orbit. In this case, PSR J2322–2650b completes an orbit every 7.8 hours, a pace consistent with other black widow systems. Data cited by SciTechDailyshows that the carbon-dominated atmosphere came as a complete surprise. Such chemical profiles have no precedent in this type of planetary environment. Instead of helium signatures, JWST’s instruments picked up carbon molecules in high concentrations, a composition more reminiscent of interstellar clouds or soot-rich combustion than a typical gas giant. Two Faces Of The Same Planet The planet is tidally locked, meaning one side constantly faces the pulsar. That dayside reaches scorching temperatures, over 2000 °C, and reveals clear traces of molecular compounds typically linked to carbon-based chemistry. On the nightside, however, JWST detected almost no spectral activity. Scientists suspect a layer of dark material, possibly soot, may be covering that hemisphere and masking atmospheric features. Related video: Astronomers observe birth of a planetary system for the first time (KameraOne Canada) Current Time 0:00 / Duration 1:09 KameraOne Canada Astronomers observe birth of a planetary system for the first time 0 View on Watch View on Watch Its overall chemical profile is just as unusual. The C/O ratio exceeds 100, while the C/N ratio climbs past 10,000. For comparison, those same ratios on Earth are 0.01 and around 40, respectively. According to the same report, the results place PSR J2322–2650b in a category unlike any other known exoplanet. A New Twist In Planetary Formation Theories Some parts of the atmosphere still make sense based on what scientists expected. Instead, the planet’s atmosphere is loaded with carbon, in amounts way beyond what current models can explain. Theories involving white dwarf mergersor carbon stars don’t fully account for the sky-high carbon-to-oxygen ratios seen in the data. Professional Brick Layer - Expert Bricklayers - brick Foundation Repair Ad Professional Brick Layer - Expert Bricklayers - brick Foundation Repair stonehengemasonry.ca call to action icon more One thing that does check out is the wind behavior. On tidally locked planets that spin quickly, models predict strong westerly winds, and that’s exactly what JWST found. SciTechDaily mentions that the hottest spot on the planet isn’t right under the pulsar but sits 12 degrees to the west, a subtle shift that matches what simulations have shown for this kind of setup. When it comes to size and movement, this planet looks like a textbook black widow leftover. But its chemistry throws everything off. The team behind the study, which was shared on arXiv in September 2025, is now stuck with a big question: where did all this element come from, and how is it still there? Enjoyed this article? Subscribe to our free newsletter for engaging stories, exclusive content, and the latest news. Sponsored Daily Galaxy Visit Daily Galaxy Huge Solar Eruption Spotted On The Sun’s Far Side Venus Just Lost Its Last Active Orbiter as JAXA Declared Akatsuki Mission Over Scientists Unearthed a Dinosaur So Heavy and So Big, It Cracked the Road Sponsored