The Houston Astros logo is one of the most recognized marks in Major League Baseball. It carries over six decades of Texas baseball history, tied directly to Houston’s role in the American space program.
The current version, introduced in 2013, features a white beveled “H” on an orange star inside a navy blue circle with the team name around it. It replaced the brick red, sand and black star-and-script design the team used from 2000 to 2012.
Since the franchise started as the Houston Colt .45s in 1962, the team has used seven primary logo designs. Each one reflected a specific period in the team’s identity, from frontier-themed branding to space-age imagery to the retro railroad look of the early 2000s.
The Astros’ visual identity has always tracked closely with changes in stadium, ownership and league. The 2013 rebrand arrived with the team’s move from the National League to the American League West, two years after Jim Crane bought the club.
What Is the Houston Astros Logo?
The Houston Astros logo is a navy circular badge with a white “H” on an orange star and “HOUSTON ASTROS” around it. It was unveiled on November 2, 2012, and first used in 2013. The team hasn’t publicly credited a designer. The star-and-H idea comes from the cap logo the Astros wore from 1965 to 1993.
| Symbol | White “H” on an orange star inside a navy and orange circle |
| Designer/agency | Not publicly credited by the club |
| Current version since | 2013 (unveiled November 2, 2012) |
| Colors (hex) | Navy #002D62, Orange #EB6E1F, Light Orange #F4911E (widely cited reference values), White |
| Typeface | Custom lettering; often compared to Player Bold (Canada Type) |
| Previous major version | Brick red star with “Astros” script (2000–2012) |
The badge is a combination mark: a letter, a star and the team name working as one unit. It appears on uniforms, caps, signage at Daikin Park (called Minute Maid Park until 2025), broadcast graphics and licensed merchandise.
How Has the Houston Astros Logo Evolved Over Time?
The Astros logo history covers seven primary logos since 1962. The designs moved from a smoking pistol to Astrodome imagery, then a shooting star, a railroad-era star and script, and finally the current H-star badge.
Each change came during a major transition. New stadium, new ownership, new league. The branding followed.
Houston Colt .45s Logo (1962–1964)
The first logo showed a pistol with smoke forming the “C” of a “Colts” script, with “.45s” underneath. The colors were navy and orange.
The franchise entered the National League as an expansion team in 1962 alongside the New York Mets. The Colt .45s name came from a fan naming contest and referenced the revolver known as “the gun that won the West.”
On December 1, 1964, the club announced it would become the Astros, a nod to Houston’s role in the space program as the team moved into the new Astrodome.
Astrodome Logo (1965–1976)
The original Astros logo showed the Astrodome in white and blue on an orange circle, with “ASTROS” arched below in royal blue and baseballs orbiting around the stadium.
The Astrodome was the world’s first multi-purpose domed sports stadium, nicknamed the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” This logo captured the excitement of the Space Race. The orbiting baseballs read like satellites or an atom model, linking baseball to science and progress. It remains one of the most praised vintage MLB designs.
This era also introduced the cap logo that matters most to today’s brand: an “H” set on a star. The team wore versions of it on caps from 1965 to 1993.
Updated Astrodome Logo (1977–1993)
For 1977, the Astros updated the logo while keeping the same idea: the Astrodome in navy blue and white, the club name arched below, and baseballs orbiting all around on an orange circle.
This version is tied to the famous rainbow uniforms. The ad agency McCann Erickson designed them, and they debuted in 1975. The full rainbow look was worn at home and on the road through 1979; from 1987 on, the stripes moved to the shoulders only, a style that lasted through 1993. The “Tequila Sunrise” nickname came later.
Shooting Star Logo (1994)
The first major rebrand in Astros history came in 1994. The new logo put a gold shooting star in front of a navy Astrodome, with “Astros” in italic lettering. Orange was dropped in favor of navy and metallic gold.
It lasted just one season.
Streamlined Star Logo (1995–1999)
For 1995, the team simplified the primary logo by removing the navy Astrodome, leaving the shooting star and the wordmark.
These were the last years at the Astrodome. Taking the stadium out of the logo was a minimalist approach that also prepared the brand for a new ballpark.
Old Astros Logo: Brick Red Star and Script (2000–2012)
When the team moved to Enron Field in 2000, it went through a radical redesign. The new logo was a brick red star trimmed in black and sand, with “Astros” scripted below in black. The old-time train theme came from the ballpark’s site at Houston’s old Union Station.
That meant a completely different color palette. Gone were the blues and golds, and the script replaced the italic lettering.
The Astros won their first National League pennant in this look in 2005, but were swept by the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. Many fans felt the red and sand look was disconnected from the space-themed name.
Current H-Star Badge (2013–Present)
The 2013 logo returned the club to its original blue and orange. It took the white “H” on a star from the old cap logo, added bevels to both, and placed them inside a navy and orange circle with the team name. After the 2013 season, the team removed the white stripe that had circled the logo on dark backgrounds.
The color combination nods to 1962, and the star nods to Houston’s space heritage. This logo has been worn through the most successful period in franchise history, including World Series titles in 2017 and 2022 and American League pennants in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
What Do the Design Elements of the Houston Astros Logo Mean?
Every part of the current Astros logo connects to Houston’s identity and the franchise’s baseball heritage. The star, the letter, the circle, the colors.
The five-pointed star is the most obvious reference. Texas is the Lone Star State, and Houston is home to NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The star pulls double duty there.
What Does the Astros Star Symbol Represent?
The orange star sits at the center of the badge and serves as the focal point of the whole design.
It references both the Texas Lone Star and the space program behind the Astros name. The star has been part of the team’s look since the 1965 cap logo, and the shooting star carried it through the 1990s. The psychology behind the star shape works well here. Stars suggest ambition, excellence and aspiration.
What Are the Houston Astros Colors?
The Astros colors are navy blue, orange and white. The team hasn’t published official codes, so the values below are the ones most widely cited by color references such as TeamColorCodes:
- Navy: Hex #002D62, RGB (0, 45, 98), CMYK (100, 89, 34, 25), Pantone 648 C
- Orange: Hex #EB6E1F, RGB (235, 110, 31), CMYK (3, 70, 100, 0), Pantone 158 C
- Light Orange: Hex #F4911E, RGB (244, 145, 30), CMYK (1, 51, 100, 0), Pantone 1495 C
- White: Hex #FFFFFF, used for the “H” and the team name
Navy is the primary background color. It conveys authority and stability, and in color psychology deep blue builds trust. Blue has been in the Astros’ branding since 1962, so the return to navy in 2013 was a deliberate callback.
Orange brings energy and warmth, and it stands out against navy with strong contrast. It was also an original franchise color: the 1965 Astrodome logo sat on an orange circle. The color disappeared during the brick red era, and bringing it back felt like a homecoming for fans. Brands that use orange in their logos tend to feel approachable and energetic.
For reference, the 2000–2012 brick red is usually listed as #9A3324, with sand around #D3BC8D.
What Font Does the Houston Astros Logo Use?
The Astros font is custom lettering, not a released retail typeface. The typography is most often compared to Player Bold, a slab serif from Canada Type, but no official source names it. League-style bold slabs and college-style serif typeface designs are other common lookalikes, and any of them will get a fan project close.
The letterforms are strong and blocky with thick rectangular serifs. The central “H” looks stable because of its even weight. Fans have pointed out that the 2013 wordmark echoes the lettering the club used in the 1960s and ’70s, which fits the throwback idea of the whole rebrand.
It’s a big shift from the flowing script of the 2000–2012 era. Your mileage may vary on whether that was a good or bad thing, but the current type feels sportier and reads better at small sizes.
Is There a Hidden Meaning in the Houston Astros Logo?
The club hasn’t described any hidden symbolism. What’s there is mostly in plain sight: the Lone Star, the space connection and the “H” for Houston.
The circular badge reads like a seal, which carries a sense of official status. The beveled star has a three-dimensional quality that most baseball logos don’t bother with.
Some fans see the rings around the star as orbits, a callback to the baseballs circling the Astrodome in the 1965 logo. That’s an interpretation, not a stated design intent, but the connection is easy to see.
How Does the Houston Astros Logo Compare to Competitor Logos?
Among baseball team logos, the Astros badge sits in the “circular emblem” category alongside marks like the New York Yankees top-hat-and-bat logo, the Milwaukee Brewers ball-in-glove, and the St. Louis Cardinals birds on the bat.
What separates the Astros mark is its simplicity within that format. A single letter on a star is quick to read. Compare that to the Toronto Blue Jays logo, which has more elements competing for attention.
Among American League West rivals, the Texas Rangers also use a letter in a circle, while the Seattle Mariners use a compass rose. The star gives the Astros a distinct edge in recognition, and the navy and orange is the warmest palette in a division that also includes the green-and-gold Athletics.
From a pure design perspective, the Astros badge works well on a cap, a scoreboard or a phone screen. That’s where some of the more complex NFL logos and NBA logos struggle.
What Cultural Impact Has the Houston Astros Logo Had?
The Astros brand has become tied to Houston’s identity. After Hurricane Harvey hit the city in 2017, the team wore “Houston Strong” patches, and its World Series run that same year turned the logo into a symbol of recovery. Bumper stickers, flags, murals. The H-star was everywhere.
The 2022 World Series win reinforced the mark’s status as a championship emblem.
But the story isn’t one-dimensional. MLB’s investigation into the club’s sign-stealing in 2017 created real tension around the brand. For a few years, wearing the Astros logo in certain ballparks drew strong reactions.
The older logos carry their own legacy too. The rainbow uniforms are some of the most sought-after throwbacks in sports, and retro Astrodome-logo gear has become popular well beyond baseball fans, showing up in streetwear and fashion circles.
How Does the Houston Astros Logo Fit Into the Overall Brand Identity?
The logo sits at the center of a broader system that includes the wordmark, cap logos, alternate marks, uniforms and ballpark branding. Like every pro team, the Astros keep this consistent through internal brand guidelines and a brand identity system that isn’t public.
The “H” on a star works on its own as the cap logo, without the outer ring or text. This simpler version holds up at sizes where the full badge would lose detail, down to a few pixels on a phone screen.
The mascot Orbit, a green alien in an Astros uniform, came back with the 2013 rebrand and extends the space theme. There’s also a wordmark version with “HOUSTON” and “ASTROS” set in the team lettering.
Throwback nights and retail gear regularly bring the rainbow stripes back. This connects the current brand to the franchise’s most beloved vintage era without changing the primary identity. It keeps older fans invested while the clean badge works for newer audiences.
For anyone working with the logo, the usual file types apply: vector graphics for scalable print work and bitmap formats like JPEG and PNG for screens. Print resolution and DPI depend on the printer and the product, not on any published team rule.
How Should the Houston Astros Logo Be Used?
This is general guidance, not the team’s own rules. The Astros logo, name and related marks are trademarks of the club, licensed through MLB.
- Commercial use: Putting the logo on products you sell requires a license.
- Editorial use: News, reviews and commentary can usually show the logo to identify the team.
- Good practice: If you reproduce the logo for a permitted purpose, don’t stretch, recolor or rearrange it, and don’t build derivative logos from it.
Unauthorized commercial use can lead to legal action under federal trademark law.
FAQ on the Houston Astros Logo
What does the Houston Astros logo look like?
The current Astros primary logo is a navy circular badge with a white “H” on an orange star. Orange rings frame the center, and “HOUSTON ASTROS” appears in white around the outer band.
When did the Astros change their logo to the current design?
The current Astros emblem was unveiled on November 2, 2012, and first used in the 2013 season. The rebrand came with the team’s move from the National League to the American League West.
Who designed the current Houston Astros logo?
The club hasn’t publicly credited a designer or agency for the 2013 logo. The design is based on the “H” and star cap logo the Astros wore from 1965 to 1993, with bevels added.
How many logos have the Houston Astros had?
Seven primary logos: the Colt .45s pistol (1962–1964), the Astrodome logos of 1965–1976 and 1977–1993, the shooting star (1994), the simplified star (1995–1999), the brick red star (2000–2012) and the current badge (2013–present).
What did the old Astros logo look like?
The 2000–2012 logo was a brick red star trimmed in black and sand, with “Astros” in black script below. Before that, the 1965–1993 logos showed the Astrodome on an orange circle with orbiting baseballs.
What was the original Houston Astros logo?
The franchise’s first logo belonged to the Houston Colt .45s (1962–1964): a pistol with smoke forming the “C” of “Colts.” When the team became the Astros in 1965, it introduced the Astrodome logo with orbiting baseballs on an orange circle.
What is the star in the Astros logo?
The star represents Texas as the Lone Star State and Houston’s ties to NASA and the space program. A star has been part of the Astros cap logo since 1965.
What are the Houston Astros colors?
Navy blue, orange and white. Widely cited reference values are navy #002D62, orange #EB6E1F and light orange #F4911E. The team hasn’t published official codes.
What font does the Houston Astros logo use?
The Astros use custom lettering rather than a retail font. It’s most often compared to Player Bold from Canada Type, a geometric slab serif, but no official font name has been published.
Why did the Astros change from brick red to navy and orange?
The 2013 rebrand came after Jim Crane bought the team in 2011 and as the club moved to the American League. It returned the Astros to their original blue and orange colors, which many fans had kept wearing through throwback gear.
Conclusion
The Houston Astros logo tells the story of a franchise that has reinvented itself several times across six decades of Major League Baseball. From the Colt .45s pistol to the Astrodome roundel to the current H-star badge, every version tracked a specific chapter in the team’s history.
The 2013 design brought back the original navy and orange palette, gave the team a clean badge that scales well across caps, jerseys and digital screens, and connected the brand to Houston’s Space City roots.
It also happens to be the mark worn during two World Series titles. That kind of association sticks.
Whether you care about the principles behind great logo design or just want to rep your team, the Astros emblem does its job. It’s simple, it’s bold, and it belongs to Houston.
Sources
- SportsLogos.net, Houston Astros Primary Logo (2013–present) – https://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/492979902013/Houston_Astros/2013/Primary_Logo
- SportsLogos.net, Houston Astros Primary Logo (2000–2012) – https://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/o27gfthh2h0bwnfh68ho5xhhg/Houston-Astros-Logo/2000/Primary-Logo
- SportsLogos.net, Houston Astros Primary Logo (1965–1976) – https://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/9yawe88ejagf9jthh3h3/Houston-Astros-Logo/1965/Primary-Logo
- SportsLogos.net News, Houston Astros New Logo Leaks – https://news.sportslogos.net/?p=6835
- NBC Sports, The oral history of the Houston Astros Tequila Sunrise uniforms – https://nbcsports.com/mlb/news/the-oral-history-of-the-houston-astros-tequila-sunrise-uniforms
- Wikipedia, Houston Astros – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_Astros
- TeamColorCodes, Houston Astros Color Codes – https://teamcolorcodes.com/houston-astros-color-codes/
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008. Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients. His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8. He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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