#1E1E1E · #3A3A3A · #8E5C5C · #0E0E0E
Use #1E1E1E as the background. Use #3A3A3A as the primary accent. Use #8E5C5C as secondary. Use #0E0E0E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Horsehead Nebula — horsehead, dark, silhouette.
Technical breakdown for the Horsehead 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: 1.3% | 30, 30, 30 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 88% | 0°, 0%, 12% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 4.2% | 58, 58, 58 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 77% | 0°, 0%, 23% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 14.2% | 142, 92, 92 | 0%, 35%, 35%, 44% | 0°, 21%, 46% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 0.4% | 14, 14, 14 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 95% | 0°, 0%, 5% |
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 Horsehead Nebula palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #0E0E0E on #8E5C5C |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.53:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #8E5C5C on #0E0E0E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.53:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #8E5C5C on #1E1E1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.04:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #1E1E1E on #8E5C5C |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.04:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #8E5C5C on #3A3A3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.08:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A3A3A on #8E5C5C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.08:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #0E0E0E on #3A3A3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.70:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A3A3A on #0E0E0E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.70:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A3A3A on #1E1E1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.47:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1E1E1E on #3A3A3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.47:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #0E0E0E on #1E1E1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.16:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1E1E1E on #0E0E0E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.16:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
The Horsehead Nebula palette is built using a analogous relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
A analogous palette is often preferred by professional designers because it creates a calm, serene atmosphere by using neighboring colors.
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.
directly opposite #3A3A3A on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #3A3A3A — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
To use this Horsehead 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.
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Use #1E1E1E for the main background and #3A3A3A for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
The contrast ratio between #0E0E0E and #1E1E1E is 1.16:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
The Horsehead Nebula palette contains #1E1E1E, #3A3A3A, #8E5C5C, #0E0E0E. 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.
Yes for its strongest pairings: #0E0E0E on #8E5C5C reaches 3.5:1 (Fail). 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.
Beyond its own four colors, #595959, #413B35, #EEECEC 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.
Horsehead Nebula reads as horsehead, dark, silhouette. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Horsehead Nebula palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Horsehead Nebula's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.