Surfing the Galaxy

Facts
European scientists reported Wednesday they have found an Earth-like planet outside the solar system -- an exoplanet with moderate temperature and possibly having liquid water, two factors that can sustain life.The planet, orbiting a red dwarf and estimated to be some 20 light years away from Earth, may well become a destination for man in his search for extraterrestrial life.

While the scientists have not physically seen the planet, they could presume its existence from measurements of gravitational pull taken of the star. The new planet could be just about five times the mass of Earth and hence a super-Earth.
2. Xavier Delfosse, a member of the team from Grenoble University in France, said in a statement, because of the planet's temperature and relative proximity, it will most probably be a very important target of the future space missions dedicated to the search for extra-terrestrial life.
"It's a significant step on the way to finding possible life in the universe," said University of Geneva astronomer Michel Mayor, one of 11 European scientists on the team that found the planet. "It's a nice discovery. We still have a lot of questions."
The scientists say the exoplanet (extra solar planet) -- planets revolving around a star other than the Sun -- is the smallest ever found up to now, completing its full orbit in 13 days. It is estimated to be 14 times closer to its star than the Earth to the Sun. But Gliese 581 is smaller and colder than the Sun and thus less luminous and the planet lies in the habitable zone -- the region around a star where water could be found in liquid form.

The latest discovered planet is Gliese 876 d, which has been found to be the stars closest orbiting planet

References:
1) http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/55494.html
2) http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/913324/
3) http://www.worldwidewords.org/turnsofphrase/tp-exo1.htm
4) http://www.users.muohio.edu/weaksjt/