What is the astronomical designation of Pandora, the Saturnian moon?

The astronomical designation of Pandora, the Saturnian moon, is Saturn XVII. The Roman numeral indicates that Pandora was the seventeenth moon of Saturn to receive an official numbered designation in the system used by the International Astronomical Union.

Pandora is a small, irregular moon that orbits near Saturn’s F ring. Its gravitational influence helps shape and confine the ring, making it one of the system’s shepherd satellites. Prometheus, another small moon, works with Pandora in the complex dynamics around the F ring.

This Pandora is unrelated to the mythological woman and to the moon Pandora in the film Avatar. The Saturnian moon was first identified in images from the Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1980, while its official numerical designation is a cataloging label rather than a mythological title. Its name was chosen from Greek mythology, following the convention used for many moons in the Saturn system.