The British Antarctic Territory and Pobjoy Mint are delighted to announce the release of a third £2 coin in a series of five coins to commemorate 200 years since the death of British Astronomer Sir William Herschel. Each coin shows a constellation from the “Bayer Family”. This family of constellations are circumpolar which means that they are always fully visible from the British Antarctic Territory.
The design on the third coin features the Pavo Constellation, which is represented by a Peacock, the image of which is depicted on the design. The constellation itself is shown beneath the bird and a compass as it would read in Antarctica.
Pavo constellation lies in the southern sky and its name means “the peacock” in Latin. Pavo contains five stars with confirmed planets and has no Messier objects. The name Peacock was given to the star by Her Majesty’s Nautical Almanac Office in the late 1930s. HMNAO, which is now part of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, produces astronomical data and publishes the Nautical Almanac.
You can order this coin now from Pobjoy Mint.