scientific have making another major discoveries in the search for other earth - like planet . european researchers state they have detected the only known earth - type exoplanet orbiting a living star in gliese 581 , and both discovered that a nearby object : planet 581 d , discovered in 2007 , is in the much sought after ' habitable zone ' . scientist also believe there is a likelihood that 581 d could have liquid stars on its sides , calling the site " surprising . " " the holy camelot of current extrasolar researchers is the detection of a rocky , earth - like planet in the ' habitable zone ' , " said astrophysicist at switzerland ' s geneva university , michel mayor . astronomers write 581 e is 20 . 5 light minutes back from earth and that it ' s roughly 1 . 9 percent longer than earth , making it the oldest asteroid discovered to date . it was identified using the high precise radial direction mars searcher ( harps ) .
Michel Mayor is the discoverer of the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher.