I always wondered why do we care about stuff outside of Solar system. Apart from the "wow" factor, what else are the real uses for info? I think anything beyond solar system is unlikely to have an impact on the life on the Earth.

A Type II supernova within 26 light-years of Earth is estimated to destroy more than half of the Earth's ozone layer. Some have argued that supernovas within 250-100 light-years can have a significant impact on Earth's environment, increase cancer rates, and kill a lot of plankton. They can potentially cause ice ages and extinctions. Within 25 light-years, we are within a supernova's "kill range." Fortunately, nothing should go supernova close to us for a long time.

Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-Earth_supernova

Kurzgesagt video on the impact on Earth of supernovas at varying distances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4DF3j4saCE

Very distant systems, i.e. extra-gallactic, like quasars, are used for the most accurate coordinate systems (e.g. the International Celestial Reference System/Frame, ICRS/ICRF3, the Gaia Celestial Reference Frame, Gaia–CRF3), because their angular velocities are negligible due to the huge distances where they are located.

Basing an inertial coordinate system on the observed positions of the bodies belonging to the Solar System is affected by much greater errors caused by the imperfect modeling of their relatively fast movements.

Using stars that are outside the Solar System is much better, but using distant extra-gallactic objects is even better.

If we did not have the "fixed" stars as a background on which to view the movements of the Sun, Moon and planets, who knows how many centuries later physics and technology would have reached the current level, because when seeing only the relative motions of the planets, without a fixed reference system, those are much harder to understand.

For interplanetary navigation, receiving signals from pulsars can be used as a backup or a replacement for atomic clocks. Individual pulsars, especially when young, are sometimes affected by "glitches" when their moment of inertia, thus the frequency of their signal, changes, but if multiple old pulsars are monitored, any glitches should be detectable and they should not affect operation.

Even the primitive humans of many thousands or tens of thousands of years ago knew to predict seasons by observing the rising stars and to navigate with the help of star gazing.

For the ancient civilizations dependent on agriculture, observing the stars, e.g. to determine when to sow various cultivated plants, could have a life and death impact, not a minor influence upon their life.

Comparing other stars and planets tells us how unusual (or not) Earth is. That perspective matters for understanding climate, habitability, and even life itself.

Most of the imaging and signal-processing tech built for astrophysics ends up in medicine, satellites, and everyday devices. The "wow" factor funds a lot of spinoffs.

Space weather doesn’t stop at the edge of the Solar System. Supernovae, stellar motions, even rogue objects can affect us. Better to understand them early.

It’s long-term thinking. Nobody builds interstellar ships tomorrow, but mapping the neighborhood now is how future generations avoid starting from zero.

Honestly, it also grounds us. Realizing Earth is one small rock among billions changes how seriously we treat our only habitable home.