#1E1E3A
#8EC8E8
#E8D8A8
#0E0E1E
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Crab Nebula Color Palette

#1E1E3A · #8EC8E8 · #E8D8A8 · #0E0E1E

Fail
WCAG Grade
1.2:1
Contrast Ratio
910
Saves
2,440
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #1E1E3A as the background. Use #8EC8E8 as the primary accent. Use #E8D8A8 as secondary. Use #0E0E1E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Crab Nebula — crab, supernova, remnant.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Crab Nebula 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: 1.5%
30, 30, 58 48%, 48%, 0%, 77% 240°, 32%, 17%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 52.9%
142, 200, 232 39%, 14%, 0%, 9% 201°, 66%, 73%
Secondary
Luminance: 69.1%
232, 216, 168 0%, 7%, 28%, 9% 45°, 58%, 78%
Body Text
Luminance: 0.5%
14, 14, 30 53%, 53%, 0%, 88% 240°, 36%, 9%

Crab Nebula 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 Crab Nebula palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#1E1E3A gently saturated blue
#8EC8E8 saturated cyan-blue
#E8D8A8 gently saturated orange
#0E0E1E gently saturated blue

Crab Nebula 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
#0E0E1E on #E8D8A8
Aa Sample Text
13.47:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#E8D8A8 on #0E0E1E
Aa Sample Text
13.47:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#E8D8A8 on #1E1E3A
Aa Sample Text
11.38:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#1E1E3A on #E8D8A8
Aa Sample Text
11.38:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#0E0E1E on #8EC8E8
Aa Sample Text
10.52:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#8EC8E8 on #0E0E1E
Aa Sample Text
10.52:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#8EC8E8 on #1E1E3A
Aa Sample Text
8.89:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#1E1E3A on #8EC8E8
Aa Sample Text
8.89:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#E8D8A8 on #8EC8E8
Aa Sample Text
1.28:1 Fail Decorative use only
#8EC8E8 on #E8D8A8
Aa Sample Text
1.28:1 Fail Decorative use only
#0E0E1E on #1E1E3A
Aa Sample Text
1.18:1 Fail Decorative use only
#1E1E3A on #0E0E1E
Aa Sample Text
1.18:1 Fail Decorative use only

Crab Nebula Color Psychology & Meaning

The Crab Nebula is the expanding remnant of a supernova that Chinese astronomers saw in 1054, its filaments of gas glowing blue and gold, and this palette is space indigo with nebula blue. It feels explosive and serene, the color of a dead star still glowing.

Color Harmony: Split-Complementary Scheme

The Crab Nebula palette is built using a split-complementary relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.

Hue Wheel

A split-complementary palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.

History & Design Context

The Crab Nebula was created by a supernova observed on July 4, 1054, and recorded by Chinese and Arab astronomers; at its center spins a pulsar discovered in 1968, a neutron star that flashes 30 times a second.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the space indigo for the sky, nebula blue for the filaments, gold for the glow, and the darkest for the base.

Industries This Palette Suits

Astronomy, astrophotography, education, physics.

Colors That Pair Well With Crab Nebula

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.

orange

directly opposite #8EC8E8 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

blue

30° beside #8EC8E8 — 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 Crab Nebula Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Use #8EC8E8 for buttons and links — it scores 8.9:1 against the #1E1E3A background (above the 3:1 UI-components threshold).
  • Don't set body copy in #0E0E1E on #1E1E3A — 1.2:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
  • Don't use #E8D8A8 behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.

How to Implement the Crab Nebula Color Scheme

To use this Crab Nebula 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 #1E1E3A for the main background and #8EC8E8 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #0E0E1E and #1E1E3A is 1.18:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Crab Nebula Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Crab Nebula color palette?

The Crab Nebula palette contains #1E1E3A, #8EC8E8, #E8D8A8, #0E0E1E. 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 Crab Nebula color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #0E0E1E on #E8D8A8 reaches 13.5:1 (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 Crab Nebula palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #E5A380, #949FE1, #ECECEF 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 Crab Nebula palette create?

Crab Nebula reads as crab, supernova, remnant. Saturated cyan-blue drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated blue — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.

Can I use the Crab Nebula color palette commercially?

Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Crab Nebula 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 Crab Nebula 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 Crab Nebula's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.

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