Pandora, the shepherd moon of Saturn’s F ring, is found in orbit around Saturn.
The moon was discovered in 1980 from photographs taken by the Voyager 1 spacecraft and received the provisional designation S/1980 S 26. It was later named Pandora after the figure from Greek mythology. Pandora helps shape the outer edge of Saturn’s narrow F ring together with the moon Prometheus.
Its irregular, heavily cratered surface and low density are typical of many small outer moons. Pandora’s gravitational relationship with Prometheus contributes to the complex structure and changing appearance of the F ring.
Pandora is sometimes confused with Prometheus because both are small moons associated with Saturn’s F ring. They are separate satellites, and Pandora is the outer shepherd while Prometheus orbits closer to Saturn.