2022 William Hershel: 03 Southern Constellation of Pavo – Peacock £2 BU

The third £2 coin in the series to commemorate 200 years since the death of British Astronomer Sir William Herschel.

Sir William Frederick Herschel was a German-born British astronomer famously known for constructing the first large telescope in 1774 but, perhaps, his most important contribution to the science of astronomy was made in 1781 when he discovered the planet Uranus.  This discovery brought him overnight fame and he was appointed Court Astronomer and knighted by King George III.

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. Issued on behalf of the British Antarctic Territory the coin has been produced in Bi-metal and Proof Fine Silver with Goldclad®. The obverse of the coin features an effigy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II produced exclusively by Pobjoy Mint.

To mark the bicentenary of Herschel’s death we are releasing a series of five coins each showing 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. 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