What color is #78A9AE?

#78A9AE is a desaturated cyan, closest to the named color Stormy Waters. It belongs to the teal family of colors.

What is the RGB value of #78A9AE?

The RGB value is 120, 169, 174: 120 red, 169 green and 174 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of #78A9AE?

The complementary color is #AE7D78, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #78A9AE?

Black text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 8.08:1 and white text 2.6:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

#78A9AE color

#78A9AE rgb(120, 169, 174)

Shades of teal

The hex color #78A9AE is a desaturated cyan.

In the RGB color model it is made of 47.1% red, 66.3% green and 68.2% blue (120, 169, 174).

Its hue angle is 186°, with 25% saturation and 58% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 31% cyan, 3% magenta, 0% yellow and 32% black.

The closest named color is Stormy Waters (#84A9B0), a difference of 3.3 ΔE, a small difference.

Black text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 8.08:1).

#78A9AE color codes

HEX	`#78A9AE`
RGB	`rgb(120, 169, 174)`
RGB percent	`rgb(47.1%, 66.3%, 68.2%)`
HSL	`hsl(186, 25%, 58%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(186, 31%, 68%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(31%, 3%, 0%, 32%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(66.08, -14.98, -7.81)`
CIE LCH	`lch(66.08, 16.89, 207.54)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(29.571, 35.423, 45.315)`
Decimal	`7907758`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with #78A9AE, 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 #78A9AE	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	8.08:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	2.6:1	Fail	Fail	Fail

#78A9AE as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	2.6:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	8.08:1	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 #78A9AE looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #78a9ae; }
.text { color: #78a9ae; }
.border { border: 2px solid #78a9ae; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(120 169 174 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #78a9ae, #788eae); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Closest common color name: Cadet Blue.

Questions

What color is #78A9AE?: #78A9AE is a desaturated cyan, closest to the named color Stormy Waters. It belongs to the teal family of colors.
What is the RGB value of #78A9AE?: The RGB value is 120, 169, 174: 120 red, 169 green and 174 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of #78A9AE?: The complementary color is #AE7D78, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #78A9AE?: Black text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 8.08:1 and white text 2.6:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.