Which asteroid, numbered 55, is named Pandora in the Solar System?

Asteroid 55 Pandora is the Solar System asteroid numbered 55 and named Pandora.

55 Pandora is a large main-belt asteroid discovered by George Mary Searle on September 10, 1858, at the Albany Observatory in New York. It was the 55th asteroid to receive a permanent number after its orbit was sufficiently established. Its name refers to Pandora of Greek mythology.

The asteroid belongs to the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It is classified as an S-type asteroid, a broad category associated with stony, silicate-rich compositions. Like most main-belt asteroids, it is far smaller than a planet and follows an orbit around the Sun.

The name is not evidence that the asteroid has a special connection to the myth beyond the naming tradition used in astronomy. Numbered asteroids often receive names from mythology, literature, people, or other cultural sources. 55 Pandora is also distinct from Pandora, an inner satellite of Saturn discovered in 1980.