At last it was confirmed.
Astronomers on the planet Gliese 581 d confirmed, beyond any shadow of doubt, that a thin beam of sentience had shone upon their world: the strange structure of thought tearing bravely through the vastness of space from a smaller but similar terrestrial planet only some twenty light years away.
From the lonely confines of their laboratories, a wave of exultation washed over the Gliesean society as the news spread through cable and ether. In light of the great shock to their identity, the Gliesean World Confederation finally concluded a treaty between bitterly divided rival factions in the Great Methane War. Goodwill and harmony prevailed. Life seemed to come to a joyous standstill. And the astronomers themselves, of course, were given lavish receptions by all the distinguished and powerful figures of their world (which was fortunate for them, as the ascetic life of mountaintop observatories does not lend itself to conjugation).
On every video transmission, on every news node and around vast projection screens in the great public squares of national capitals throughout, all eyes were fixed singularly on the public unveiling of the proclamation of existence from that distant pale blue dot, the profound realization that the Gliesean people were not alone in the Universe. Their faces tear-streaked in awe, the whole race awaited the mysterious alien message together, hearts palpitating.
And so it came.