Silver Coin 5 Oz Solar System 2021

Ther Solar System 2021 - 5 Oz

Minted by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2021, this exclusive 5 Oz (157.6 g) silver coin in absolute purity of the purest 99.99% Proof silver celebrates the beauty of astronomy and opens a window into our solar system.

The coin's reverse motif is based on observations from space telescopes and offers a coloured view of the Sun and the eight planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune). The arrangement emphasises their differences in size and colour. As celestial light sources, the Sun and stars are treated with a special technology that responds to "black light" (UV light from the UVA spectral region). With the help of the supplied "black light" emitting flashlight, this effect can be activated to reveal the glowing parts of the design. The "black light" technology adds a cool white light to the stars and amplifies the gaseous glow of the Sun. The off-center circle bears an engraved "orbital" pattern dotted with stars from the Milky Way galaxy's disk, setting the framework for our solar system. It includes the inscription "CANADA" and the denomination "50 DOLLARS". The inner coloured part contains the initials of the artist "NH".
The sun is a huge cosmic body, at least by our standards. It represents 99.8% of the total mass of the solar system and we are all bound by its gravitational pull - eight planets, five known dwarf planets, over 200 moons and millions of asteroids, comets and meteors. Surprisingly, our sun is only an average-sized star when you look beyond our solar system. Betelgeuse, the red giant in the constellation Orion, is 700 times larger and 7,000 to 14,000 times brighter than the Sun!
A planet's colors are determined by its composition and the way light interacts with its atmosphere or surface. Mercury's rocky, dust-covered surface is to blame for its bright gray color. Venus looks yellow-orange because of its carbon dioxide atmosphere and clouds of sulfuric acid. Earth gets its colours from oceans, clouds and land. Iron oxide in the soil is why Mars is known as the "red planet". Jupiter's turbulent atmosphere is responsible for its gaseous swirls, colorful streaks, and famous red spot. This place is the biggest storm in our solar system - it's bigger than Earth and has been raging for at least three centuries! Saturn's upper atmosphere, easily recognizable by its seven rings, contains chemical compounds that color its fast-moving cloud bands. The ice giants Uranus and Neptune look blue because of the presence of methane gas in the atmosphere. These two bodies are also ring planets, like Saturn, but their rings are fainter.

The obverse of the coin is crossed by ellipses of orbital paths. In their centre is the traditional portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. The description of the coin includes the inscriptions "ELIZABETH II", "D.G.REGINA" and the year of issue "2021".

The coin comes with a UVA flashlight and is housed in a black gift box with a numbered certificate of authenticity in a limited edition of only 1,250 pieces for the entire world!