What number was assigned to asteroid Pandora when it was discovered?

The asteroid associated with Pandora is designated 55 Pandora. It was discovered in 1858 by the American astronomer George Mary Searle at the Albany Observatory in New York.

The number 55 is Pandora’s position in the sequence of numbered minor planets, not a measurement of its size or distance from the Sun. Asteroids receive provisional designations after discovery and later receive permanent numbers and names once their orbits are sufficiently established.

Pandora was named after the figure from Greek mythology. Astronomical naming often draws on mythology, literature, and historical figures, so the name does not mean that the asteroid physically resembles the mythological character or the famous container.

Asteroid Pandora is a main-belt object. It should not be confused with Pandora, a small moon of Saturn, which has a different origin, location, and designation. The shared name is the main reason the two objects are sometimes mixed up.