docs: def get_colors(n, cmap='viridis', start=0., stop=1., alpha=1., return_hex=False):
      """
      Return n-length list of RGBa colors from the passed colormap name and alpha.
  
      Parameters
      ----------
      n : int
          number of colors
      cmap : string
          name of a colormap
      start : float
          where to start in the colorspace
      stop : float
          where to end in the colorspace
      alpha : float
          opacity, the alpha channel for the RGBa colors
      return_hex : bool
          if True, convert RGBa colors to a hexadecimal string
  
      Returns
      -------
      colors : list
      """
      colors = [cm.get_cmap(cmap)(x) for x in np.linspace(start, stop, n)]
      colors = [(r, g, b, alpha) for r, g, b, _ in colors]
      if return_hex:
          colors = rgb_color_list_to_hex(colors)
      return colors