<p>Here are some values found by taking the hue from images, and adjusting the brightness to fit the albedo: </p>

<p>Mercury #<a href="http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/1A1A1A" rel="noreferrer">1a1a1a</a> Yes it is really that dark</p>

<p>Venus #<a href="http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/e6e6e6" rel="noreferrer">e6e6e6</a> or perhaps a bit darker</p>

<p>Earth tricky as it is a mix of colors, and changes over the year
seems to average out as about #<a href="http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/2F6A69" rel="noreferrer">2f6a69</a></p>

<p>Mars #<a href="http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/993d00" rel="noreferrer">993d00</a></p>

<p>Jupiter #<a href="http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/b07f35" rel="noreferrer">b07f35</a></p>

<p>Saturn #<a href="http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/b08f36" rel="noreferrer">b08f36</a></p>

<p>Uranus #<a href="http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/5580aa" rel="noreferrer">5580aa</a></p>

<p>Neptune #<a href="http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/366896" rel="noreferrer">366896</a></p>

<p>You might find these surprisingly dark. Planets look like bright dots against the dark sky</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-06T15:39:36.910Z
"pale #2f6a69 dot"
SE - stop firing the good guys
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-06T18:54:52.373Z
Hi James, that's exactly what I was looking for. I may apply some luminosity algorithm on the top of that, but that's a good starting point.
Jaime
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-27T14:01:50.147Z
TIL you can just set the size of the image to 1 px to average every pixel into one.
WarpPrime
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-22T01:47:29.157Z
@SE-stopfiringthegoodguys *love it!*
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-22T08:14:58.817Z
"Yes it is really that dark". Well... since the planets are not shining by themselves, but, like we all know, reflects the sunlight, one can argue why "the color of the planet", from Earth to Neptune, is that reflection, but for Mercury and Venus the color is the average of a photo of the planet, taken with a way smaller aperture than the other planets. Mercury and Venus shine like stars when the sunlight hits them.
Lars-Lasse
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-06T12:05:33.167Z
2016-07-04T18:30:13.973Z
2016-07-04T18:30:13.973Z
James K
<p>I am developing an astronomy software and need to know the color of each planet in the Solar System, when observed with the naked eye. I cannot find that information after googling for a while. Is there any good source? a RBG color associated to each planet would be ideal but it can be any other color system.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-06T01:20:29.247Z
Google search provided this, more basic:  http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/about-us/58-our-solar-system/planets-and-dwarf-planets/planet-watching/249-what-color-is-each-planet-intermediate  and more advanced, though this is from 2008, there might be updates out there:  http://www.astronomycameras.com/data/editorials/20080320/assets/rgb_planetary_imaging_with_a_monochrome_camera.pdf
userLTK
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-06T02:32:44.983Z
Yes, I have seen that one from Cornell. It has a vague description of colors. The other one doesn't contain usable info for my purposes.
Jaime
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-06T07:31:42.120Z
colour when viewed from Earth, or when viewed close up under similar ilumination?
SE - stop firing the good guys
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-06T08:03:42.347Z
@Hohmannfan, any of them would help. I guess the second one is easier to determine.
Jaime
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-06T09:23:38.753Z
What colour would you describe the moon as? Silvery white, or dark grey?  What exactly are your "purposes"?
James K
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-06T18:58:00.483Z
@James, I am developing a sky viewer software. Regarding the moon, I guess I probably may find an algorithm to determine moon's brightness based on position/time. But this specific question asks for planet colors, at least for a minimum similitude with reality.
Jaime
<planet><observational-astronomy><luminosity>
Color of planets
Jaime
# Color of planets

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-03-05)

I am developing an astronomy software and need to know the color of each planet in the Solar System, when observed with the naked eye. I cannot find that information after googling for a while. Is there any good source? a RBG color associated to each planet would be ideal but it can be any other color system.

**Tags:** planet, observational-astronomy, luminosity
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Google search provided this, more basic:  http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/about-us/58-our-solar-system/planets-and-dwarf-planets/planet-watching/249-what-color-is-each-planet-intermediate  and more advanced, though this is from 2008, there might be updates out there:  http://www.astronomycameras.com/data/editorials/20080320/assets/rgb_planetary_imaging_with_a_monochrome_camera.pdf  
> **username_0**: Yes, I have seen that one from Cornell. It has a vague description of colors. The other one doesn't contain usable info for my purposes.  
> **username_2**: colour when viewed from Earth, or when viewed close up under similar ilumination?  
> **username_0**: @Hohmannfan, any of them would help. I guess the second one is easier to determine.  
> **username_3**: What colour would you describe the moon as? Silvery white, or dark grey?  What exactly are your "purposes"?  
> **username_0**: @James, I am developing a sky viewer software. Regarding the moon, I guess I probably may find an algorithm to determine moon's brightness based on position/time. But this specific question asks for planet colors, at least for a minimum similitude with reality.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-03-06. Score: 9 | Accepted answer

Here are some values found by taking the hue from images, and adjusting the brightness to fit the albedo:

Mercury #[1a1a1a](http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/1A1A1A) Yes it is really that dark

Venus #[e6e6e6](http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/e6e6e6) or perhaps a bit darker

Earth tricky as it is a mix of colors, and changes over the year
seems to average out as about #[2f6a69](http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/2F6A69)

Mars #[993d00](http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/993d00)

Jupiter #[b07f35](http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/b07f35)

Saturn #[b08f36](http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/b08f36)

Uranus #[5580aa](http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/5580aa)

Neptune #[366896](http://www.htmlcsscolor.com/hex/366896)

You might find these surprisingly dark. Planets look like bright dots against the dark sky

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: "pale #2f6a69 dot"  
> **username_0**: Hi James, that's exactly what I was looking for. I may apply some luminosity algorithm on the top of that, but that's a good starting point.  
> **username_5**: @SE-stopfiringthegoodguys *love it!*  
> **username_4**: TIL you can just set the size of the image to 1 px to average every pixel into one.  
> **username_6**: "Yes it is really that dark". Well... since the planets are not shining by themselves, but, like we all know, reflects the sunlight, one can argue why "the color of the planet", from Earth to Neptune, is that reflection, but for Mercury and Venus the color is the average of a photo of the planet, taken with a way smaller aperture than the other planets. Mercury and Venus shine like stars when the sunlight hits them.  

---

