scientists have made two major findings in the look for other star - related planets . american authors stated they have observed the largest known earth - related exoplanet orbiting a living star at habitable 581 c and first said that a nearby planet called orbiting 581 d , revealed in 2007 , is in the much - after ' livable space ' . scientists also mention there is a possibility that 581 d could have liquid climates on its sides , calling the search " unique . " " the holy camelot of current extrasolar discovery is the detection of a rocky , mercury - like body in the ' landmass zone ' , " reported astrophysicist at switzerland ' s elise university , michel mayor . observations say 581 e is 20 . 5 light kilometres away from earth and that it ' s roughly 1 . 9 twice larger than earth , making it the smallest habitable discovered to date . it was find using the high accuracy high velocity surface searcher ( lutes ) .
Michel Mayor is the discoverer of the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher.