New mini-supernovas aren't the brightest on the block[ Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:43:40 GMT ]By Charles Q. ChoiSpace.comAstronomers have discovered a new kind of supernova, a star explosion so weak that scientists dubbed it a miniature stellar blast.Supernovas represent the deaths of stars, which collapse in powerful explosions. They generally are classified into two main types; the new class, called Type Iax, "is essentially a mini-supernova," said lead researcher Ryan Foley, an astronom...