The present invention provides a blue colored glass using a standard soda-lime-silica glass base composition and additionally iron and cobalt, and optionally chromium, as solar radiation absorbing materials and colorants. In particular, the blue colored glass includes about 0.40 to 1.0 wt. % total iron, preferably about 0.50 to 0.75 wt. %, about 4 to 40 PPM CoO, preferably about 4 to 20 PPM, and 0 to 100 PPM Cr2O3. The redox ratio for the glass of the present invention is greater than 0.35 up to about 0.60, and preferably between about 0.36 to 0.50. In one particular embodiment of the invention, the glass has a luminous transmittance of at least 55% and a color characterized by a dominant wavelength of 485 to 489 nanometers and an excitation purity of about 3 to 18 percent. In another embodiment of the invention, the glass has a luminous transmittance of at least 65% at a thickness of about 0.154 inches (3.9 mm) and a color characterized by a dominant wavelength of 485 to 492 nanometers and an excitation purity of about 3 to 18 percent.