There was an equally exciting signal that occured back in 1977. They called it the "WOW!" signal.
The time series representation of the signal was 6EQUJ5. (I'm no radio engineer, but I did read about what it signifies: the order is 1 to 9 and then A to Z to represent the level the signal is stronger than all the background noise) They also mention that it was unmodulated, so it probably wasn't sent by anyone, but that it was just received by us. But, to date, it's the strongest ever signal we've received. I'm surprised there's very little mention of it in the articles about the recent trio. Assuming that the WOW! signal (or any other significant signal for that matter) was sent out from a planet holding an intelligent species, then we could get the same signal again in the same time period that it takes that planet to rotate on its axis. All we'd have to do is point the telescope in that same direction for quite some time. The WOW! signal was never found again, though.
Interesting thing about the signal that we're sending out, thought I should share: The message has 1679 on and off pulses. They reasoned that an intelligent civilization is supposed to realize that it is the result of multiplying two prime numbers. Then, arrange the on and off pulses in a rectangle (23 by 73), and it will create a picture. The first block will show 1 to 10 (or 0 to 9, I can't remember which) in binary. Then, it'll show the key elements in our most important bio molecules, and two strands in the same helical structure of DNA. Then a pic of a man next to a number representing the world's population. Then, the solar system with its planets upto Pluto (no Sedna, sorry), and the Earth slightly out of position so as to highlight it and show them that the signal has come from EARTH. Then there's a pic of the telescope sending the radio wave.
And, assuming the universe is "closed", the signals we are sending out will come back to us one day. I just hope that we're still intelligent enough to realize that it's what we had sent out those millions of years ago, and not mistake it for something else.
So, these 3 signals are something of interest. It's very significant. It might be an emission due to some space phenomena, but then again, it could be something actually sent out unwittingly by an alien civilization.
I think a good reading on the 3 signals we received has been given here:
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