To add
If we sent every nuclear bomb we had in 1989 into deep space and
detonated them at once, they would produce enough X-rays to be
seen up to a distance of 190 light years.
But we should consider using some of them to power Orion spacecraft
around the Sol system and even think about getting a ship or two to
some nearby star systems. It is a proven system (okay, not with
actual nukes but they did demonstrate it would work) and probably
our easiest means of visiting Alpha Centauri within our lifetimes.