Pandora is the F-ring shepherd moon orbiting outside Saturn’s moon Prometheus.
Saturn’s narrow F ring is gravitationally influenced by two small moons. Prometheus orbits on the ring’s inner side, while Pandora orbits on the outer side. Their combined effects help confine and shape the ring, although the ring’s structure is dynamic and includes strands, kinks, and clumps.
This astronomical use of the Pandora name is especially notable because Pandora and Prometheus are also related figures in Greek mythology. The International Astronomical Union names many planetary features and bodies from mythology, literature, and other cultural traditions.
Pandora is not the only Saturnian moon with a name associated with this mythic family. Epimetheus is a separate moon, and confusing it with Pandora can lead to an incorrect description of the F-ring system. The inner-versus-outer orbital relationship is the key identifying fact.