Aurora Borealis Color Psychology & Meaning
Aurora captures the impossible greens of the northern lights — luminous emeralds that pulse against Arctic darkness. Nature's most spectacular light show.
#0D1B2A
#1A936F
#88D498
#C6F0C2
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Aurora Borealis Color Palette
#0D1B2A · #1A936F · #88D498 · #C6F0C2
AAA
WCAG Grade
13.8:1
Contrast Ratio
3,421
Saves
9,023
AI Copies
Use #0D1B2A as the background. Use #1A936F as the primary accent. Use #88D498 as secondary. Use #C6F0C2 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Aurora Borealis — night, cool, earthy.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Aurora Borealis color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).
| Swatch | Design Role | HEX | RGB | CMYK | HSL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background Luminance: 1.0% | 13, 27, 42 | 69%, 36%, 0%, 84% | 211°, 53%, 11% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 22.2% | 26, 147, 111 | 82%, 0%, 24%, 42% | 162°, 70%, 34% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 54.6% | 136, 212, 152 | 36%, 0%, 28%, 17% | 133°, 47%, 68% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 78.2% | 198, 240, 194 | 17%, 0%, 19%, 6% | 115°, 61%, 85% |
Aurora Borealis Tints & Shades
Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the Aurora Borealis palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#0D1B2A gently saturated cyan-blue
#1A936F saturated teal
#88D498 gently saturated green
#C6F0C2 gently saturated green
Aurora Borealis Palette Contrast Matrix (WCAG 2.1)
Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.
| Text on Background | Preview | Ratio | Grade | Safe For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #C6F0C2 on #0D1B2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.79:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #0D1B2A on #C6F0C2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.79:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #88D498 on #0D1B2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 9.87:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #0D1B2A on #88D498 |
Aa Sample Text
| 9.87:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1A936F on #0D1B2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.51:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #0D1B2A on #1A936F |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.51:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #C6F0C2 on #1A936F |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.06:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #1A936F on #C6F0C2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.06:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #88D498 on #1A936F |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.19:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1A936F on #88D498 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.19:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C6F0C2 on #88D498 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.40:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #88D498 on #C6F0C2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.40:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Custom Scheme
The Aurora Borealis palette is built using a custom relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A custom palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
The Aurora Borealis occurs at 100km altitude when solar particles interact with atmospheric gases. Scandinavian and Inuit cultures have mythology around this phenomenon.
Best Design Use Cases
Deep midnight blue-black as base. Luminous greens as the star of the show. Light mint for text against dark. Never add warm colors.
Industries This Palette Suits
Travel, Scandinavian brands, science, environmental.
Colors That Pair Well With Aurora Borealis
Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.
rose-red
directly opposite #1A936F on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
cyan-blue
30° beside #1A936F — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
tinted neutral
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Aurora Borealis Without Breaking Accessibility
- Use #1A936F for buttons and links — it scores 4.5:1 against the #0D1B2A background (above the 3:1 UI-components threshold).
- Set body text in #C6F0C2 — 13.8:1 against #0D1B2A passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Don't use #88D498 behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Aurora Borealis Color Scheme
To use this Aurora Borealis color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.
Option 1: CSS Variables
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Web Design Tip
Use #0D1B2A for the main background and #1A936F for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #C6F0C2 and #0D1B2A is 13.79:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Aurora Borealis Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Aurora Borealis color palette?
The Aurora Borealis palette contains #0D1B2A, #1A936F, #88D498, #C6F0C2. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.
Is the Aurora Borealis color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #C6F0C2 on #0D1B2A reaches 13.8:1 (AAA). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.
What colors go well with the Aurora Borealis palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #981B40, #23768B, #EBEDF0 extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.
What mood does the Aurora Borealis palette create?
Aurora Borealis reads as night, cool, earthy. Saturated teal drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated cyan-blue — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Aurora Borealis color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Aurora Borealis palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
How do I add the Aurora Borealis palette to Tailwind or CSS?
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Aurora Borealis's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.