≈ Astral

Astral (#3A708F) is a medium, muted blue with a cool feel. It has a hue angle of 202° and a lightness of 52%. Its muted saturation keeps it calm and sophisticated, easy to live with in large areas.

Blue is the most widely liked color and the default for trust. It lowers the sense of urgency, so it suits products that ask for confidence: money, health and software. As a mid-toned shade, Astral sits comfortably in the middle: present but not heavy.

Blue stands for calm, stability, loyalty and the sky and sea. It is also the color of sadness in English (feeling blue) and, in some cultures, of protection.

Astral is an easy supporting color. It carries white text well, so it works as a button, header or badge background. Pair it with its tints and shades for a complete scale.

• Finance, banking and insurance
• Technology and software
• Healthcare and corporate identity
• Links and primary actions in interfaces

Egyptian blue, from about 2500 BC, is often called the first synthetic pigment. Ultramarine from lapis lazuli cost as much as gold; Prussian blue (about 1706) made deep blue affordable.

White text on Astral has a contrast ratio of 5.39:1 (AA); black text has 3.89:1 (fails for body text). WCAG AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text and interface parts. Do not rely on color alone to carry meaning: pair it with text, an icon or a pattern.