Which moon of Saturn is named Pandora in planetary science?

Pandora is a small moon of Saturn named after the figure from Greek mythology.

The moon was discovered in photographs taken by the Voyager 1 spacecraft and was first reported in 1980. It orbits near Saturn’s narrow F ring, where its gravity helps influence the ring’s structure. Pandora is therefore classified as a shepherd satellite, alongside the nearby moon Prometheus.

Pandora and Prometheus have an especially memorable connection to the mythology: their names belong to figures associated with the story of Pandora’s jar and the theft of fire. Saturn’s moon Prometheus helps shape the inner edge of the F ring, while Pandora helps shape its outer edge.

The astronomical moon should not be confused with the planet-like world Pandora in the film Avatar. Saturn’s Pandora is a small, irregular natural satellite, not a fictional habitable planet. Its name was selected within the tradition of giving many Saturnian moons names from mythology.