PSR J1719-1438b is an extraordinary planet, often dubbed a “diamond planet” due to its unique composition. It’s a small, dense planet with a mass similar to Jupiter but only about 40% of its size. Scientists believe that it was once a white dwarf star, but over time, its outer layers were stripped away by the immense gravitational forces of a nearby neutron star, which is now a pulsar—PSR J1719-1438.
What makes this planet truly remarkable is its composition. The material left behind after the outer layers were removed is primarily carbon, which under the extreme pressures and conditions present in the remnants of such a star has crystallized into a diamond-like structure. As a result, PSR J1719-1438b is thought to be essentially a gigantic diamond, five times the size of Earth, orbiting the pulsar at a very close distance.
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This discovery is a testament to the incredible variety and complexity of planets that exist in the universe, showing how stellar remnants can form exotic worlds under extreme conditions.
