Asteroid 55 Pandora is the asteroid numbered 55 that honors Pandora from Greek mythology.
55 Pandora is a main-belt asteroid discovered by George Mary Searle in 1858. Its name follows the long astronomical practice of assigning mythological names to newly identified bodies, especially during the nineteenth century when many asteroids were being found between Mars and Jupiter.
The asteroid is unrelated physically to Saturn’s moon Pandora. They share a mythological name but are different objects in different parts of the Solar System: 55 Pandora orbits in the main asteroid belt, while Pandora, the moon, orbits Saturn.
The number is part of the asteroid’s official designation and distinguishes it from other objects named Pandora. “Pandora” can therefore identify the Greek mythological figure, Saturn’s satellite, or asteroid 55, depending on context. This is why the numerical designation is essential in astronomy.