Composition : 92,5% silver, 7,5% copper
Mintage : 10,000

A universe beyond

From the earliest days of prehistory, humanity has looked up at the sky in wonder. Early civilizations told countless legends of magical powers and beings that ruled from the sky. The monoliths of Stonehenge... the pyramids of Egypt... around the world, ancient sites testify to humanity's desire to see beyond - and to understand.

Over centuries, seekers watched and charted, recorded and theorized. And then, in 1609, Galileo Galilei peered through his telescope. He saw that the moon was not smooth, but covered with craters. He discovered the four moons of Jupiter and Saturn's rings. He concluded that the Milky Way was composed of stars and advanced the study of sunspots. Galileo's telescope was arguably the genesis of modernscientific instruments, launching a new age that took humanity's perceptions a quantum leap forward, far beyond the physical confines of earth.

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For four hundred years, Galileo's vision for the power of evidence-based scientific enquiry has enriched human understanding of the natural world. And with cutting-edge technology, the inter-galactic expedition that is astronomy has become increasingly accessible, inspiring countless people to ponder its mysteries. As renowned Canadian astronomer/educator Helen Sawyer Hogg reminds us, "The stars belong to everyone".

This coin is the fourth issue of the Canadian Achievement series.
The first coin of the serie, released in 2006, depicts the 5th anniversary of Canadarm.
The second coin of the serie, released in 2007, depicts the Panoramic Photography : Niagara Falls.
The third coin of the serie, released in 2008, depicts the IMAX Experience.
The fourth coin of the serie, released in 2009, depicts the International Year of Astronomy.

CANADIAN ACHIEVEMENTS - INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY - 2009 CANADIAN COINS 04 is categorised COINS AND PAPER MONEY / 08- ROYAL CANADIAN MINT / 01- STERLING SILVER and sold by l'Imaginaire, a store and specialised website.