In what year was asteroid 55 Pandora discovered?

Asteroid 55 Pandora was discovered in 1858. It was found by the German astronomer George Mary Searle and later named after Pandora, the figure from Greek mythology.

55 Pandora is a main-belt asteroid, meaning it orbits the Sun in the region between Mars and Jupiter where most known asteroids are concentrated. Its designation, “55,” indicates that it was the 55th asteroid to receive a permanent numbered designation.

The asteroid should not be confused with Pandora, one of Saturn’s moons, or with the mythological Pandora associated with the jar of evils. These objects share a name but belong to different astronomical and cultural contexts.

Asteroid names often draw on mythology, literature, or historical figures. In this case, the name connects a nineteenth-century astronomical discovery with one of the best-known stories from ancient Greek tradition.