RGB (Red, Green, Blue)
RGB is an additive color model used in digital displays. Colors are created by combining red, green, and blue light at different intensities (0-255 each). This system is device-dependent and doesn't represent how humans perceive color.
HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness)
HSL represents colors in a more intuitive way: Hue (0-360°), Saturation (0-100%), and Lightness (0-100%). It's easier to understand but still device-dependent and doesn't account for human color perception.
LAB (Lightness, a*, b*)
This is what our galaxy uses! LAB is a perceptually uniform color space designed to match human vision. L* represents lightness (0-100), a* represents green-red axis (-128 to +127), and b* represents blue-yellow axis (-128 to +127). Colors that appear equally different to humans have similar distances in LAB space.
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black)
CMYK is a subtractive color model used in printing. Colors are created by subtracting light using cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks. This system is optimized for physical media and has a smaller color gamut than RGB.
Why LAB for 3D Visualization?
LAB is perfect for 3D color visualization because:
- Perceptually Uniform: Equal distances in LAB space correspond to equal perceived color differences
- 3D Structure: Each dimension (L, a, b) represents a different aspect of color perception
- Device Independent: Colors are defined in absolute terms, not relative to a specific device
- Mathematical Distance: The Euclidean distance between two LAB colors closely matches human perception of color difference
How Our Galaxy Works
In this visualization, each planet represents a color positioned in 3D space:
- X-axis (a*): Green (-) to Red (+)
- Y-axis (b*): Blue (-) to Yellow (+)
- Z-axis (L*): Dark (0) to Light (100)
When you click a planet to make it the sun, all other planets reposition based on their LAB distance from the new sun color. This creates a true 3D representation of color relationships!
Technical Implementation
Our galaxy uses advanced 3D graphics and color science:
- Three.js: WebGL-based 3D rendering for smooth performance
- LAB Color Space: Perceptually uniform color calculations
- Euclidean Distance: Mathematical color similarity measurement
- Real-time Animation: Smooth transitions between color positions
Color Perception Science
Understanding how humans perceive color is crucial for effective visualization:
- Color Constancy: Our brain adjusts for different lighting conditions
- Simultaneous Contrast: Colors appear different based on surrounding colors
- Color Blindness: Affects approximately 8% of males and 0.5% of females
- Cultural Differences: Color associations vary across cultures
LAB color space was specifically designed to account for these perceptual factors, making it ideal for color visualization and analysis.
