JWST Finds Extremely Distorted 'Lemon‑Shaped' Exoplanet Orbiting a Rapidly Spinning Star

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has detected an unusually distorted, 'lemon‑shaped' exoplanet orbiting a rapidly spinning star. The extreme shape suggests strong tidal and rotational forces or a previously unseen physical process, representing a potentially new class of planetary phenomena.

Discovered 2025-12-18T18:49:10.456879-08:00 | 2025-12-18T18:49:10.456879-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • Expands JWST's exoplanet portfolio by revealing unexpected planetary morphology, building on its first 3D atmospheric map of hot Jupiter WASP‑118b (see the JWST 3D atmospheric mapping story: https://hype.aero/?story=cda9c1df-0c05-4903-8b04-8be570e59682).
  • Provides comparative observational data for extreme worlds and atmospheres following JWST's detection of a thick gaseous envelope on molten super‑Earth TOI‑1561 b (context: https://hype.aero/?story=4fdccea5-89ba-48d6-94f3-1d2b1c084b27).
  • Reinforces JWST's broad impact across exoplanet science, from imaging forming planets in disks to characterizing highly distorted bodies, informing target selection and modelling for future observational programs (see the forming-exoplanet snapshot: https://hype.aero/?story=d3255be1-9b5f-4836-9c20-5f974ef8dbe9).

Reported By

news.ssbcrack.com Live Science Science Alert astronomy.com webpronews.com Times of India
Sources Tracked
11
First Seen
2025-12-18T18:49:10.456879-08:00
Latest Update
2025-12-25T14:26:54.704643-08:00
Coverage
Space

Sources

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