Space: The unneeded frontier.

[Rufus]

We, in the UK have been treated to a 3 day Stargazers programme, on the subjects of, well, ... stars :o
We hear how the nearest planet which could be Earthlike is (I think), 600 light years away. That's further than Clacton to Melbourne, I think.
With space bound telescopes, radio telescopes and detectors of all kinds in and around the Earth, my question is "shouldn't we look in a little more, rather than spending £1000000000 looking out?