What minor planet, numbered 55, is named Pandora in the Solar System?

55 Pandora is the minor planet named after Pandora in the Solar System.

The object is a large main-belt asteroid orbiting the Sun between the paths of Mars and Jupiter. It was discovered in 1858 by the American astronomer George Mary Searle at the Dudley Observatory in Albany, New York. The number 55 records its place in the sequence of minor-planet discoveries.

Pandora is classified as an S-type asteroid, meaning its surface is broadly associated with stony, silicate-rich material. Like other asteroids, it is far smaller than a planet and has no known ring system or substantial atmosphere.

The name refers to the figure from Greek mythology, but 55 Pandora is separate from Saturn’s moon Pandora. Astronomical names often reuse mythological figures across different classes of objects, so the number is essential for identifying this particular asteroid.