What color is #51A5A1?

#51A5A1 is a desaturated cyan, closest to the named color Twilight Meadow. It belongs to the teal family of colors.

What is the RGB value of #51A5A1?

The RGB value is 81, 165, 161: 81 red, 165 green and 161 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of #51A5A1?

The complementary color is #A55155, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #51A5A1?

Black text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 7.25:1 and white text 2.9:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

#51A5A1 color

#51A5A1 rgb(81, 165, 161)

Shades of teal

The hex color #51A5A1 is a desaturated cyan.

In the RGB color model it is made of 31.8% red, 64.7% green and 63.1% blue (81, 165, 161).

Its hue angle is 177°, with 34% saturation and 48% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 51% cyan, 0% magenta, 2% yellow and 35% black.

The closest named color is Twilight Meadow (#51A5A4), a difference of 1.2 ΔE, which is barely visible.

Black text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 7.25:1).

#51A5A1 color codes

HEX	`#51A5A1`
RGB	`rgb(81, 165, 161)`
RGB percent	`rgb(31.8%, 64.7%, 63.1%)`
HSL	`hsl(177, 34%, 48%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(177, 51%, 65%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(51%, 0%, 2%, 35%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(62.7, -26.4, -5.75)`
CIE LCH	`lch(62.7, 27.02, 192.28)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(23.279, 31.231, 38.513)`
Decimal	`5350817`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with #51A5A1, based on their position on the color wheel.

Complementary

The color opposite on the color wheel (180°). Strongest contrast.

Analogous

Neighbors 30° either side. Calm, natural combinations.

Split complementary

The two colors next to the complement (150° and 210°).

Triadic

Three colors evenly spaced, 120° apart.

Tetradic (square)

Four colors 90° apart.

Shades, tints and tones

Shades (darker, mixed with black)

Tints (lighter, mixed with white)

Tones (mixed with gray)

Contrast and accessibility

Text on #51A5A1	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	7.25:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	2.9:1	Fail	Fail	Fail

#51A5A1 as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	2.9:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	7.25:1	Pass	Pass	Pass

WCAG 2 asks for 4.5:1 for normal text (AA), 7:1 for AAA, and 3:1 for large text. Check other pairs.

Color blindness simulation

How #51A5A1 looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #51a5a1; }
.text { color: #51a5a1; }
.border { border: 2px solid #51a5a1; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(81 165 161 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #51a5a1, #517fa5); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Questions

What color is #51A5A1?: #51A5A1 is a desaturated cyan, closest to the named color Twilight Meadow. It belongs to the teal family of colors.
What is the RGB value of #51A5A1?: The RGB value is 81, 165, 161: 81 red, 165 green and 161 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of #51A5A1?: The complementary color is #A55155, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #51A5A1?: Black text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 7.25:1 and white text 2.9:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.