Observatory Night Color Palette
#3A4460 · #1E2438 · #6E7E9E · #0A0E1A
Use #3A4460 as the background. Use #1E2438 as the primary accent. Use #6E7E9E as secondary. Use #0A0E1A as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Observatory Night — night, cool, moody, royal.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Observatory Night 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: 5.9% | 58, 68, 96 | 40%, 29%, 0%, 62% | 224°, 25%, 30% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 1.8% | 30, 36, 56 | 46%, 36%, 0%, 78% | 226°, 30%, 17% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 20.7% | 110, 126, 158 | 30%, 20%, 0%, 38% | 220°, 20%, 53% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 0.5% | 10, 14, 26 | 62%, 46%, 0%, 90% | 225°, 44%, 7% |
Observatory Night 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 Observatory Night palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Observatory Night 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #0A0E1A on #6E7E9E |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.71:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #6E7E9E on #0A0E1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.71:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #6E7E9E on #1E2438 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.77:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #1E2438 on #6E7E9E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.77:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #6E7E9E on #3A4460 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.36:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A4460 on #6E7E9E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.36:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #0A0E1A on #3A4460 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.99:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A4460 on #0A0E1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.99:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1E2438 on #3A4460 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.59:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A4460 on #1E2438 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.59:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #0A0E1A on #1E2438 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.25:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1E2438 on #0A0E1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.25:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Observatory Night 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.
History & Design Context
Best Design Use Cases
Industries This Palette Suits
Colors That Pair Well With Observatory Night
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 #1E2438 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #1E2438 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Observatory Night Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #1E2438 for small UI elements on #3A4460 — at 1.6:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #0A0E1A on #3A4460 — 2.0:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Let #6E7E9E carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #1E2438.
How to Implement the Observatory Night Color Scheme
To use this Observatory Night 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 #3A4460 for the main background and #1E2438 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #0A0E1A and #3A4460 is 1.99:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Observatory Night Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Observatory Night color palette?
The Observatory Night palette contains #3A4460, #1E2438, #6E7E9E, #0A0E1A. 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 Observatory Night color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #0A0E1A on #6E7E9E reaches 4.7:1 (AA). 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 Observatory Night palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #74683E, #272334, #ECEDEE 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 Observatory Night palette create?
Observatory Night reads as night, cool, moody. Gently saturated blue drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated blue — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Observatory Night color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Observatory Night 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 Observatory Night 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 Observatory Night's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.