What is the scientific designation of the asteroid named 55 Pandora?

The scientific designation of the asteroid named Pandora is 55 Pandora.

55 Pandora is a large asteroid in the main asteroid belt, the region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It was discovered by the German astronomer Hermann Goldschmidt on 10 September 1858 from Paris. The number 55 records its position in the historical sequence of numbered asteroid discoveries, while Pandora is its official name.

The asteroid is classified as an S-type asteroid, meaning its surface and composition are broadly associated with stony, silicate-rich material. It is not the same object as Pandora, one of Saturn’s moons, and it is unrelated to the fictional moon in the film Avatar.

Its mythological name follows a long astronomical tradition of naming minor planets after figures from Greek and Roman mythology. The designation “55 Pandora” is therefore both a catalog number and a proper astronomical name, not merely a nickname used in popular science writing.