Astronomical vs Balboa Mist
Astronomical (Behr) and Balboa Mist (Benjamin Moore) come from different manufacturers. Astronomical reads as grey, while Balboa Mist reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 58-point LRV gap — 66 for Balboa Mist vs 7 for Astronomical — means Balboa Mist will open up a space more effectively. Where Astronomical leans green, Balboa Mist reads red — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 54.5 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Astronomical vs Balboa Mist in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Astronomical and Balboa Mist in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Balboa Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Balboa Mist returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Astronomical vs Balboa Mist Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Astronomical on one side and Balboa Mist on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Astronomical comparisons
See how Astronomical stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 7, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 7), opening up a space where Astronomical encloses it.
With LRVs of 7 and 6, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 52 vs 7, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 7, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 7), opening up a space where Astronomical encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 7, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 7), opening up a space where Astronomical encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 7), opening up a space where Astronomical encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 7, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 4), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 7), opening up a space where Astronomical encloses it.
Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 7), opening up a space where Astronomical encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 7, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 21 vs 7, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 7), opening up a space where Astronomical encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 7), opening up a space where Astronomical encloses it.
At LRV 51 vs 7, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 8 and 7, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 7), opening up a space where Astronomical encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 7, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 7), opening up a space where Astronomical encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 7, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 7), so neither reads brighter in a room.