In Avatar, Pandora is a moon orbiting which fictional gas giant?

In Avatar, Pandora is a moon orbiting the fictional gas giant Polyphemus. The moon is the main setting of James Cameron’s 2009 science-fiction film and its related fictional universe.

Pandora is located in the Alpha Centauri star system, which is relatively close to Earth in the film’s future setting. Although people often call Pandora a planet in casual discussion, its official role in the Avatar setting is a natural satellite, or moon, of Polyphemus.

The moon’s environment includes dense forests, floating mountains, unusual wildlife, and a biosphere connected through a global biological network. The Na’vi inhabit Pandora, and the human expedition arrives seeking valuable resources, especially the mineral unobtanium.

Pandora should not be confused with the Greek mythological figure or with real astronomical objects named Pandora. The film uses the mythological name, but its setting, species, ecology, and orbital system are fictional creations. Polyphemus provides the planetary context for Pandora’s fictional geography.