In astronomy, Pandora is the name of which numbered minor planet?

In astronomy, Pandora is the name of minor planet 55 Pandora.

55 Pandora is a large main-belt asteroid discovered by George Mary Searle at the Albany Observatory in New York on September 10, 1858. It was the 55th asteroid to receive a permanent number after its orbit was established well enough for reliable identification. The name refers to Pandora of Greek mythology.

The asteroid is classified as an S-type object, a broad category generally associated with silicate-rich rocky material. It travels around the Sun in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Like most asteroids, it is not a planet and does not have the atmosphere or global shape associated with a major planet.

Pandora’s astronomical name can be confused with Saturn’s moon Pandora, which is a separate object discovered in 1980. The number 55 is therefore essential: 55 Pandora identifies the asteroid, while Pandora is also used for the small moon orbiting Saturn.