Pandora, the small moon of Saturn, is classified as a shepherd moon.
Pandora orbits near Saturn’s narrow F ring, where its gravity helps confine and shape ring material. It is commonly described together with Prometheus, which orbits on the other side of the F ring. Their gravitational influence contributes to the ring’s braided and kinked appearance.
The moon was discovered in images taken by Voyager 1 in 1980 and later received the permanent designation Saturn XVII. It is an irregularly shaped body with a heavily cratered surface and a comparatively low density.
“Moon” and “shepherd moon” are not competing names: the first identifies Pandora as a natural satellite, while the second describes its dynamical role. Pandora is also sometimes called an inner satellite because of its position relative to Saturn’s other moons.