Hi Peter and Greg;
Supernova research to me, represents more of a quest to understand and explore the extremes of pure physics. I guess this is somewhat debatable, but I have this niggling feeling that the recent LHC and neutrino particle physics exercises, might just throw a lot more emphasis back onto Super and Hypernova exploration.
Exoplanet research is driving the development of observational technologies, which is tremendously valuable to all of astronomy. Clearly more data and measurement precision will provide an unequalled opportunity for understanding the sheer diversity of planetary complexity (which I think, will also ultimately force quantified aspects of this into theoretical astrophysics ... which is pretty well absent, at present).
I also have a feeling that the present focus on exoplanetary discovery will reach a logical interim conclusion fairly quickly, when the public becomes less interested about the numbers of way-off remote planets, (which is already quite meaningless to me) ... and when they realise the improbability of exploring these worlds in their generation ... or the next, or the next .. (due to theoretical limitations .. not technological ones). I'll refrain from elaborating on my views about remote exo-life detection over vast distances ... I do have many, many sound reasons for my stand on this .. which we haven't gotten to, yet.
So overall, the pendulum of fashionable exploration, I think, may very well be on its way back, (for what its worth).
Good to see Steven's comments as well .. that presentation/tutorial is a beauty !
Cheers & Rgds