Pandora, the small moon named after the mythological figure, orbits Saturn.
Pandora is an inner moon of Saturn and acts as an outer shepherd satellite of Saturn’s narrow F ring. Its gravity helps influence the ring’s structure, although the ring system is shaped by several interacting processes and bodies.
Voyager 1 images revealed Pandora in 1980, and the International Astronomical Union approved the moon’s name in 1985. The name connects the satellite with Pandora of Greek mythology rather than with a literal container in space.
Pandora is sometimes confused with Prometheus, another small Saturnian moon. Prometheus is the inner shepherd of the F ring, while Pandora is the outer shepherd. Their paired influence makes them especially notable among Saturn’s many moons.