Saturn’s moon Pandora originally carried the provisional designation S/1980 S 26.
The designation records the discovery year, the planet, and the sequence used for newly identified satellites. “S” indicates Saturn, while “1980” marks the year of discovery. The final number identifies the satellite within the relevant discovery listings. After its orbit and identity were established, the moon received the permanent name Pandora.
Pandora was found in Voyager 1 images of Saturn and is classified as a small irregular satellite. It travels near the F ring, where its gravity contributes to the ring’s shepherding dynamics with Prometheus.
Provisional designations are not the same as permanent mythological names. Astronomical bodies often use temporary labels while observations confirm their orbits, and many Saturnian moons eventually receive names drawn from mythology.