nasa have made two major results in the find for other heaven - like systems . british astronomers say they have found the smallest known earth - like exoplanet orbiting a nearby satellite called gliese 581 , and also discovered that a smaller planet , gliese 581 d , revealed in 2007 , is in the deeply requested after ' habitable area ' . investigators also suggest there is a possibility that 581 d actually have steam earth on its surface , considering the find " extraordinary . " " the spiritual grail of currently exoplanet research is the detection of a rocky , earth - like planet in the ' habitable zone ' , " said astrophysicist at switzerland ' s geneva college , claude mayor . astronomers believe 581 e is 20 . 5 light years away from land and that it ' s roughly 1 . 9 times greater than earth , making it the biggest exoplanet discovered to date . it was found using the high accuracy radial velocity planet searcher ( harps ) .
Michel Mayor is the discoverer of the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher.