70 Panopaea is a large main belt asteroid

Asteroid

Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...

. Its orbit is close to those of the Eunomia asteroid family

Eunomia family

The Eunomia family of asteroids is a large grouping of S-type asteroids named after the Greek goddess Eunomia. It is the most prominent family in the intermediate main belt...

; however, Panopaea is a dark, primitive carbonaceous

Carbonate

In chemistry, a carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid, characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, . The name may also mean an ester of carbonic acid, an organic compound containing the carbonate group C2....

 C-type asteroid

C-type asteroid

C-type asteroids are carbonaceous asteroids. They are the most common variety, forming around 75% of known asteroids, and an even higher percentage in the outer part of the asteroid belt beyond 2.7 AU, which is dominated by this asteroid type...

 in contrast to the S-type asteroid

S-type asteroid

S-type asteroids are of a stony composition, hence the name. Approximately 17% of asteroids are of this type, making it the second most common after the C-type.-Characteristics:...

s of the Eunomian asteroids.

Panopaea was discovered by Hermann Goldschmidt on May 5, 1861. It was his fourteenth and last asteroid discovery. It is named after Panopea

Panopea

In Greek mythology, Panopea and Panope were two of the Nereids.Asteroid 70 Panopaea is named after one of them.Panope is also the name of one of the daughters of Thespius and Megamede. She bore Heracles a son, Threpsippas....

, a nymph

Nymph

A nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...

 in Greek mythology

Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...

; the name was chosen by Robert Main

Robert Main

The Reverend Robert Main was an English astronomer.Born in Kent, the eldest son of Thomas Main, Robert Main attended school in Portsea before studying mathematics at Queens' College, Cambridge, where he graduated as sixth wrangler in 1834...

, President of the Royal Astronomical Society

Royal Astronomical Society

The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...

.