Colorverse Butterfly Nebula and NGC 6302: A Light-Toned Space-Themed Ink Duo

Introduction

Colorverse has built its reputation on inks inspired by science and space exploration, and the latest release continues that tradition. This pairing celebrates the Butterfly Nebula, also known as NGC 6302, a celestial cloud roughly 3,800 light years away in the constellation Scorpius. Its dramatic, wing-like expansion of material moving at over a million miles an hour gives it the butterfly shape that inspired the names.

The set arrives in Colorverse’s signature space-themed packaging. One bottle, Butterfly Nebula, is a glistening pale blue, while its companion, NGC 6302, is a straight (non-glistening) light green. Both lean toward the lighter end of the ink spectrum, which makes them worth a close look if pale shades appeal to you. Here is how each one performs.

Colorverse Butterfly Nebula

Butterfly Nebula is a very light blue with a silver shimmer and a hint of darker blue shading. When swabbed heavily, the shimmer comes through alongside the sheen, giving it a subtle sparkle that reads well on both swabs and dipped samples.

One practical note: the shimmer particles in this ink are fairly heavy. After shaking the bottle to distribute them, they settle back to the bottom relatively quickly, so you will want to fill your pen soon after agitating rather than later. In heavy applications the sparkle can also transfer onto hands, though it wipes off easily.

For us, the main consideration is simply how pale this ink is. It sits in similar territory to shades like Ferris Wheel Press Blue Cotton Candy, and if very light inks are not part of your regular rotation, it may be more of an occasional choice than a daily writer. If you enjoy soft, delicate blues with a touch of shimmer, though, there is a lot to like here.

Colorverse NGC 6302

NGC 6302 is the shade we found more usable day to day. It is a light green, a touch darker than its companion, sitting close in character to inks like Van Dieman’s Mermaid (with Pelikan Poseidon Green nearby), darker than Noodler’s St. Patrick’s and Ferris Wheel Press Sweet Honeydew. It is still on the light side, but it has enough body to feel practical.

In heavy applications, particularly with eye droppers, the shading and sheening really come through, and the ink darkens noticeably at higher concentration. If you prefer a bit more drama on the page, broad and flex-friendly nibs will show that side of it off.

How They Compare

Chromatography shows the two inks are fairly similar to one another, with slight differences. Butterfly Nebula produced a lighter blue separation, while NGC 6302 showed a slightly darker blue and darker green profile. They read as siblings rather than strangers, which fits the paired-bottle format Colorverse uses.

If you are choosing between the two, NGC 6302 is the safer everyday pick because of its slightly deeper tone, while Butterfly Nebula is the one to choose specifically for its shimmer and airy feel.

Writing Performance

Testing was done on 52gsm Tomoe River paper and Rhodia 80gsm paper using three nib sizes: a fine nib, a medium nib, and a broad nib. The fine nib came out slightly darker than some other applications of the same ink, which was worth noting when comparing the samples side by side.

Flow on NGC 6302 is medium, and drying time landed between 15 and 30 seconds. Ghosting and bleed were low on the Rhodia paper, shading came through at medium to low, and sheen was low in normal writing. Those are well-behaved numbers for an ink at this price tier, and they make it easy to recommend for everyday note-taking if the color suits you.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Both inks are unapologetically light. If your collection skews toward saturated blues, blacks, and deep greens, this pairing may feel too faint for daily writing, especially with finer nibs.

The shimmer in Butterfly Nebula settles quickly due to the heavier particles, so plan on shaking the bottle and inking up in one session. Also handle freshly dried shimmer carefully, since the sparkle can rub off onto hands before you realize it.

Water Test and Chromatography

NGC 6302 does not claim to be waterproof, and the water test confirmed that. It handled water reasonably well in the sense that the ink itself did not wash away dramatically, with the paper deteriorating more than the ink did. That makes it a moderate performer: not archival, not fragile.

Buying Advice

If you are after a light-toned, space-themed ink that behaves very well on quality paper, NGC 6302 is the standout of this pairing. It writes with medium flow, dries quickly, keeps ghosting and bleed low, and offers pleasant shading and sheen in heavier applications. Butterfly Nebula is the pick for shimmer fans who want a delicate, airy blue and do not mind re-shaking the bottle before each fill. Colorverse always brings polished packaging and thoughtful themes, and this release is no exception.

Conclusion

This Colorverse pairing is lighter than our personal taste, but both inks behave very well on the page. If light inks are your thing, the Butterfly Nebula and NGC 6302 are definitely worth a look.