diff --git a/data/asteroids.json b/data/asteroids.json
index 1718050..8329ded 100644
--- a/data/asteroids.json
+++ b/data/asteroids.json
@@ -1,17 +1,19 @@
 {
-  "_comment": "ASTEROID CLUSTERS — loose groups of slowly tumbling rocks drifting in the system's void. texture = spritesheet of frameWidth×frameHeight asteroid frames (frameCount frames). cluster = how a group looks & moves: groupSize = rocks per cluster (minFullSize guarantees at least one full-size rock), sizes = per-rock diameter px, spread = how far a rock may sit from the cluster center, spin = each rock's OWN very slow tumble (deg/s, direction per-rock random), groupSpin = the whole loose group drifts around its center (deg/s), tint = subtle warm/cool starlight per cluster (anchors blended toward white by strength), halo = soft glow behind the group, debris = a halo of fine dust motes orbiting just outside the rocks. distribution = how many clusters a system gets: targetObjects − planetCount, ±jitter, clamped to [minClusters, maxClusters] (more planets ⇒ fewer clusters); the starting system always gets at least startingSystemMinClusters, and those first ones are placed INSIDE the player's initial tether so they're reachable from the spawn. placement = where clusters may sit: minObjectSpacing = no cluster may be closer (center-to-center) than this to ANY other object (home world, planets, free-space stations, other clusters); minRadius/maxRadius = the annulus around the origin random clusters live in; tetherMargin = how far inside the tether rim a starting-system cluster must sit (whole group stays reachable). shipClearance = how close (edge-to-edge) the ship may get to a rock — clusters are solid, like worlds.",
+  "_comment": "ASTEROID CLUSTERS — loose groups of slowly tumbling rocks drifting in the system's void. texture = spritesheet of frameWidth×frameHeight asteroid frames (frameCount frames). cluster = how a group looks & moves: groupSize = rocks per cluster (minFullSize guarantees at least one full-size rock), sizes = per-rock diameter px, spread = how far a rock may sit from the cluster center, gapFactor = the small edge-gap between ANY two rocks, as a multiple of their combined radii (1.0 = touching, 1.12 = a subtle gap — the generator pushes apart just the overlapping pairs, each by half, so groups stay compact), spin = each rock's OWN very slow tumble (deg/s, direction per-rock random), groupSpin = the whole loose group drifts around its center (deg/s), tint = subtle warm/cool starlight per cluster (anchors blended toward white by strength), halo = soft glow behind the group, debris = a halo of fine dust motes orbiting just outside the rocks. distribution = how many clusters a system gets: targetObjects − planetCount, ±jitter, clamped to [minClusters, maxClusters] (more planets ⇒ fewer clusters); the starting system always gets at least startingSystemMinClusters, and those first ones are placed INSIDE the player's initial tether so they're reachable from the spawn. placement = where clusters may sit: minObjectSpacing = no cluster may be closer (center-to-center) than this to ANY other object (home world, planets, free-space stations, other clusters); minRadius/maxRadius = the annulus around the origin random clusters live in; tetherMargin = how far inside the tether rim a starting-system cluster must sit (whole group stays reachable). shipClearance = how close (edge-to-edge) the ship may get to a rock — clusters are solid, like worlds.",
   "enabled": true,
   "texture": "assets/images/asteroids.png",
   "frameWidth": 128,
   "frameHeight": 128,
   "frameCount": 10,
   "typeLabel": "Asteroid Cluster",
+  "compassColor": "#c8d2e0",
   "shipClearance": 50,
   "cluster": {
     "groupSize": { "min": 4, "max": 8 },
     "sizes": { "min": 64, "max": 128 },
     "minFullSize": 1,
     "spread": 140,
+    "gapFactor": 1.12,
     "spin": { "minDegPerSec": 0.3, "maxDegPerSec": 1.6 },
     "groupSpin": { "minDegPerSec": 0.12, "maxDegPerSec": 0.4 },
     "tint": {
diff --git a/dev/asteroids.test.mjs b/dev/asteroids.test.mjs
index 69a32af..b4a9be7 100644
--- a/dev/asteroids.test.mjs
+++ b/dev/asteroids.test.mjs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  *     minus placement.tetherMargin);
  *   - GROUP SHAPE: 4–8 rocks, sizes in [64, 128], at least one full-size
  *     rock, frames in [0, frameCount) with NO frame twice in a cluster,
+ *     every rock pair keeps a gapFactor × (r1+r2) gap (no interpenetration),
  *     bound = max(offset + size/2);
  *   - SPACING: no cluster within 1024 px (center-to-center) of ANY other
  *     object — home world (origin), planets, free-space stations, other
@@ -163,6 +164,18 @@ for (const rec of sample) {
     if (Math.abs(bound - cl.bound) > 1e-9) {
       shapeOk = false; shapeWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: bound ${cl.bound} ≠ max(offset + size/2) ${bound}`; break;
     }
+    // Rocks keep a small gap from each other: no pair closer than
+    // gapFactor × (r1 + r2) centers (the generator's relaxation contract).
+    const gap = Math.max(1, CL.gapFactor ?? 1.12);
+    outer: for (let ai = 0; ai < rocks.length; ai++) {
+      for (let bi = ai + 1; bi < rocks.length; bi++) {
+        const d = Math.hypot(rocks[ai].x - rocks[bi].x, rocks[ai].y - rocks[bi].y);
+        const need = gap * (rocks[ai].size / 2 + rocks[bi].size / 2);
+        if (d < need - 1e-6) {
+          shapeOk = false; shapeWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: rocks ${ai}/${bi} ${d.toFixed(1)} px apart (< ${need.toFixed(1)} gap)`; break outer;
+        }
+      }
+    }
 
     // --- Motion ----------------------------------------------------------
     if (!rocks.every((r) => Math.abs(r.spin) >= spinMin - 1e-12 && Math.abs(r.spin) <= spinMax + 1e-12)) {
@@ -212,7 +225,7 @@ for (const rec of sample) {
 }
 
 check(`count: ${sample.length} systems obey targetObjects−planets (±jitter), clamped ${D.minClusters}–${D.maxClusters}${countOk ? '' : ' — ' + countWhy}`, countOk);
-check(`shape: groups of ${CL.groupSize.min}–${CL.groupSize.max}, sizes ${CL.sizes.min}–${CL.sizes.max}, ≥1 full-size, frames unique per cluster, bound correct${shapeOk ? '' : ' — ' + shapeWhy}`, shapeOk);
+check(`shape: groups of ${CL.groupSize.min}–${CL.groupSize.max}, sizes ${CL.sizes.min}–${CL.sizes.max}, ≥1 full-size, frames unique per cluster, rocks keep a ${CL.gapFactor ?? 1.12}× gap, bound correct${shapeOk ? '' : ' — ' + shapeWhy}`, shapeOk);
 check(`spacing: no cluster within ${P.minObjectSpacing} px (center-to-center) of ANY object (home, planets, stations, clusters)${spacingOk ? '' : ' — ' + spacingWhy}`, spacingOk);
 check(`scatter: every cluster inside the ${P.minRadius}–${P.maxRadius} annulus around the origin${annulusOk ? '' : ' — ' + annulusWhy}`, annulusOk);
 check(`motion: per-rock spins & group drifts within the slow-spin ranges${spinOk ? '' : ' — ' + spinWhy}`, spinOk);
diff --git a/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js b/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js
index e17d7c2..4b42fa9 100644
--- a/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js
+++ b/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js
@@ -280,7 +280,9 @@ function layoutSystem(seed, systemId, planets, freeSpace) {
  *
  * A cluster is a GROUP of 4–8 rocks (data → cluster.groupSize), each 64–128
  * px (cluster.sizes) with at least one full-size rock, sitting within
- * `cluster.spread` of the cluster center. Every rock tumbles on its own
+ * `cluster.spread` of the cluster center, and kept a small gap apart from
+ * each other (cluster.gapFactor — the generator relaxes any overlap so no
+ * two rocks interpenetrate). Every rock tumbles on its own
  * slow spin (its own speed and direction — cluster.spin), and the whole
  * group drifts slowly around its center (cluster.groupSpin) — the render
  * (js/entities/AsteroidCluster.js) reads these straight off the record.
@@ -397,22 +399,19 @@ function generateAsteroidClusters(galaxy, record, planets, freeSpace) {
     const fullRocks = Math.min(Math.max(0, Math.floor(clusterCfg.minFullSize ?? 1)), memberCount);
     for (let k = 0; k < fullRocks; k++) sizes[rng.int(0, memberCount - 1)] = sizeMax;
 
-    // Offsets: a dense random blob around the center (slight overlap is
-    // allowed — collision clusters look organic; solids never fully
-    // interpenetrate, see the 0.75 factor).
+    // Offsets: a dense random blob around the center (uniform in area),
+    // then a relaxation pass enforces a small gap between EVERY pair of
+    // rocks (cluster.gapFactor — 1.12 ≈ a subtle gap): only pairs that
+    // would overlap move, each by half the shortfall, so the group keeps
+    // its random look and stays compact while no rocks interpenetrate.
+    const gapFactor = Math.max(1, clusterCfg.gapFactor ?? 1.12);
     const members = [];
     for (let k = 0; k < memberCount; k++) {
-      let ox = 0;
-      let oy = 0;
-      for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 24; attempt++) {
-        const a = rng.range(0, TAU);
-        const r = spread * Math.sqrt(rng.next()); // uniform in area
-        ox = Math.cos(a) * r;
-        oy = Math.sin(a) * r;
-        if (members.every((m) => Math.hypot(ox - m.x, oy - m.y) >= 0.75 * (sizes[k] / 2 + m.size / 2))) break;
-      }
-      members.push({ x: ox, y: oy, size: sizes[k] });
+      const a = rng.range(0, TAU);
+      const r = spread * Math.sqrt(rng.next()); // uniform in area
+      members.push({ x: Math.cos(a) * r, y: Math.sin(a) * r, size: sizes[k] });
     }
+    relaxRockGaps(members, gapFactor);
     const bound = Math.max(...members.map((m) => Math.hypot(m.x, m.y) + m.size / 2));
 
     // Spins: each rock tumbles on its own — its own slow speed, its own
@@ -512,6 +511,39 @@ function placeInAnnulus(rng, rMin, rMax, placed, minSep, maxAttempts) {
   return { x: best.x, y: best.y };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Enforce the generator's gap rule: after the pass, every pair of rocks is
+ * ≥ gapFactor × (r1 + r2) apart (centers) — a small visible edge-gap
+ * (1.0 = touching). Iterative pairwise separation: each violator moves half
+ * the shortfall, only violating pairs move (minimal displacement), and a
+ * few dozen sweeps settle any rock count. Fully deterministic (fixed pair
+ * order, fixed iteration cap).
+ */
+function relaxRockGaps(members, gapFactor, maxIter = 96) {
+  for (let it = 0; it < maxIter; it++) {
+    let worst = 0;
+    for (let i = 0; i < members.length; i++) {
+      for (let j = i + 1; j < members.length; j++) {
+        const a = members[i];
+        const b = members[j];
+        let dx = b.x - a.x;
+        let dy = b.y - a.y;
+        let d = Math.hypot(dx, dy);
+        const need = gapFactor * (a.size / 2 + b.size / 2);
+        if (d >= need) continue;
+        if (d < 1e-9) { dx = 1; dy = 0; d = 1; } // coincident: deterministic axis
+        const push = (need - d) / 2;
+        a.x -= (dx / d) * push;
+        a.y -= (dy / d) * push;
+        b.x += (dx / d) * push;
+        b.y += (dy / d) * push;
+        worst = Math.max(worst, need - d);
+      }
+    }
+    if (worst <= 1e-6) break;
+  }
+}
+
 /** The starting system's initial tether radius (home world's level). */
 function homeTetherRadius() {
   const level = Math.max(1, Math.floor(config.get('tether.homeLevel', 1)));
diff --git a/js/scenes/GameScene.js b/js/scenes/GameScene.js
index a73c86d..5b17139 100644
--- a/js/scenes/GameScene.js
+++ b/js/scenes/GameScene.js
@@ -544,6 +544,9 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
         y: c.y,
         radius: c.bound,
         typeLabel: config.get('asteroids.typeLabel', 'Asteroid Cluster'),
+        // The compass shows clusters in their own light gray (not the
+        // worlds' neon cyan) — the arrow + name tag pick it up.
+        color: config.get('asteroids.compassColor', '#c8d2e0'),
         name: c.discoveryName,
       });
     }
diff --git a/js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js b/js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js
index ab16e53..653afb1 100644
--- a/js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js
+++ b/js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js
@@ -131,7 +131,10 @@ export class DiscoveryCompass extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
   makeEntry(t) {
     const scene = this.scene;
     const fam = fontStack('body', FONT_FALLBACK);
-    const neon = themeColor('neon', 0x00e5ff);
+    // Per-target accent: a target may carry its own color (asteroid
+    // clusters — data/asteroids.json → compassColor, light gray) and the
+    // arrow + chip use it; worlds keep the theme's neon cyan.
+    const neon = t.color ? toColor(t.color) : themeColor('neon', 0x00e5ff);
     const ink = themeColor('ink', 0xeaf6ff);
     const fill = toColor(config.get('theme.colors.panel', '#0a1120'));
     const typeLabel = (t.typeLabel ?? 'OBJECT').toUpperCase();
@@ -186,6 +189,7 @@ export class DiscoveryCompass extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
     // the __MISSING texture forever, even after the key is generated.
     ensureArrowTexture(scene);
     const arrow = scene.add.image(0, 0, ARROW_KEY);
+    arrow.setTint(neon); // the texture is baked white; tint per target
     arrow.setScrollFactor(0); // UI — pinned to the screen
     arrow.setDepth(40);
 
@@ -341,13 +345,15 @@ function separateAngles(entries, w, h, inset, minSep, cx, cy) {
 
 /**
  * The arrow glyph, generated once per game (procedural, no assets —
- * same pattern as Ship.ensureTexture). A neon chevron head with a soft
- * glow pass over a dark fill, plus speed ticks streaming behind it.
- * Points +x (angle 0); the tip sits 25 px right of the texture center.
+ * same pattern as Ship.ensureTexture). A chevron head with a soft glow
+ * pass over a dark fill, plus speed ticks streaming behind it. Points +x
+ * (angle 0); the tip sits 25 px right of the texture center. Baked WHITE
+ * — each arrow image is tinted per target (worlds = theme neon, asteroid
+ * clusters = their light gray).
  */
 function ensureArrowTexture(scene) {
   if (scene.textures.exists(ARROW_KEY)) return;
-  const neon = toColor(config.get('theme.colors.neon', '#00e5ff'));
+  const neon = 0xffffff; // white source; tinted per arrow (see makeEntry)
   const fill = toColor(config.get('theme.colors.panel', '#0a1120'));
   const W = 56;
   const H = 36;