The asteroid named after the Greek mythological figure is 55 Pandora. The number 55 is its position in the sequence of asteroid discoveries, and Pandora is its official name.
55 Pandora was discovered by George Mary Searle on 10 September 1858 at the Dudley Observatory in Albany, New York. It belongs to the main asteroid belt, the broad region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
The asteroid’s designation combines its discovery number with its name: “55 Pandora.” This format distinguishes it from other astronomical objects called Pandora, including Saturn’s moon Pandora and fictional characters.
Asteroid names are assigned after discovery and orbit determination, often honoring mythological figures, scientists, places, or other subjects. The number is not a measurement of size, brightness, or distance from the Sun. It simply records Pandora’s place in the historical numbering of numbered minor planets.