Smallest planet outside Solar System discovered

The discovery of the first Earth-like planet outside our own Solar system was announced on 26 January 2005 by the scientific journal 'Nature'. This planet is not made of gas like all previously observed exoplanets but features a solid crust, like the Earth. It was detected using a promising new technique, with a telescope of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) located in Chile. With the detection of more such planets, the search for extraterrestrial life will enter a new phase of exploration. ESApod video programme