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Chivalrous Observatory

#2e74e3
Notes

Chivalrous Observatory (#2E74E3) is a true azure with a vibrant character. It holds its own as a focal accent, carrying visual weight without tipping into neon territory. Its HSL profile (217°, 76%, 54%) places it in the highly saturated band at a mid lightness. Best used in small doses, like logos, CTAs, focus rings, or highlight text, where its saturation becomes a feature rather than noise. For a confident two-color system, pair it with its complementary amber. For something softer, pull in its analogous neighbors on either side of the wheel.

HEX
#2e74e3
RGB
rgb(46, 116, 227)
HSL
hsl(217, 76%, 54%)
HWB
hwb(217 18% 11%)
OKLCH
oklch(57.7% 0.183 259.5)
HSV
hsv(217, 80%, 89%)
LAB
lab(50.23% 17.89 -62.54)
LCH
lch(50.23% 65.05 285.96)
CMYK
cmyk(80%, 49%, 0%, 11%)

Etymology

Chivalrous
adjective

Old French chevaleros, knightly — adjectival suffix -ous, derived from cheval (horse). As a color modifier, chivalrous implies a saturated-and-knightly-and-gallant quality, the deep-rich color of medieval-Romance chanson-de-geste hero-and-troubadour song tradition. Sits at the bold-and-chivalrous end of the grid, parallel to gallant and knightly.

Observatory
noun

An astronomical research facility — particularly the deep-blue interior paint of optical observatories like Mount Wilson, Palomar, and Mauna Kea. The deep blue minimizes stray-light reflection inside the dome. The color refers to the painted interior of a research-grade optical observatory: a saturated, slightly cool very deep blue with the matte finish of low-reflectance enamel.

Closest matches

The nearest named color in three reference sources, ranked by perceptual distance (ΔE76 in CIELAB). ΔE < 1 is imperceptible to most viewers; ΔE > 10 is clearly different. When two sources point to the same hex they’re merged into one tile; click any to open that color’s page.

Variations

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Harmonies

Accessibility

Color-vision simulation

How this color appears to viewers with the four major color-vision-deficiency types. Computed via the Machado (2009) physiologically-based model. If a tile matches the original, the color reads the same to that viewer.

#2e74e3
Original
#3180e7
Protanopia
#0070e1
Deuteranopia
#008fa1
Tritanopia
#6d6d6d
Achromatopsia
WCAG contrast

The color used as foreground text against pure white and pure black, with the contrast ratio and WCAG 2.1 grade. Aim for AA (4.5:1) for body text and AA Large (3:1) for 18 pt+ headlines; AAA (7:1) is the gold standard for long-form reading surfaces.

The quick brown foxSample body text at normal size. The wcag minimum for body contrast is 4.5:1 (AA) or 7:1 (AAA).
AA Largeon White
4.45:1
The quick brown foxSample body text at normal size. The wcag minimum for body contrast is 4.5:1 (AA) or 7:1 (AAA).
AAon Black
4.72:1

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