Orionid viewing conditions across Europe

One of the most famous meteor showers of the year is set to reach its peak this weekend as the Orionid's will be visible in the night sky.

While the meteor shower will produce at least 20-30 meteors for viewing each hour, we will be approaching a full moon which will create extra light in the sky.

Despite the less than ideal lunar conditions, if you can find a good spot away from city lights and with a clear sky it will be an enjoyable show.

The peak viewing will be around 2 AM on Sunday night and you will want to give yourself at least 15 minutes in the dark for your eyes to adjust before having optimal viewing.

The other issue will be dealing with pesky clouds which could prevent you from seeing most or all of the meteors depending on where you will be viewing from.

Northern parts of Europe will be most at risk for a reduced view of the meteor shower on Sunday night as thick clouds hover over Scandinavia and stretch into the Baltic states.

The British Isles and areas from far northern France into Poland and Belarus will see some cloudiness throughout the night but can still expect at least partial visibility.

If you are looking for ideal viewing the best bet will be from central France through the central Europe and into the northern Balkan Peninsula.

I hope to get viewing conditions posted for other parts of the world later this week and maybe an update for Europe as we get closer to the peak viewing on Sunday night.