Where to See the Orionids Meteor Shower in Italy

Vicenza is also home to Italy’s largest optical telescope, the 1.82 metre Copernico at Cima Ekar. For the Orionids, your eyes are all you need.  Below, find practical information on where to watch the meteor shower 2026 across Vicenza’s mountain landscapes, the best viewing hours and what to know before heading out after dark.  

Cannot travel to Vicenza on October 2026? The Orionids return every October. The 2027 meteor shower is expected to peak overnight on 21 and 22 October. Check updated Moon conditions, weather forecasts and local viewing recommendations before planning your night in Vicenza.

About↓ · HALLEY’S COMET ↓ · THE 2026 NIGHT ↓ · WHERE TO WATCH IN VICENZA↓ · GOOD TO KNOW ↓ · QUESTIONS ↓ 

About

Halley’s Comet last appeared in 1986. Its next visit is due in 2061. But every October, Earth crosses the trail of particles it has left in space, producing one of the year’s most beautiful meteor showers. In a 2022 CNN report, NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke offered a rather appealing consolation for anyone who missed the comet: “you can at least go out and see the Orionids.”

On 21 and 22 October 2026, the open mountain landscapes of the Asiago Plateau in Vicenza, Italy, offer a place to do just that. The meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere at approximately 66 kilometres per second, sometimes leaving luminous trails that remain visible after the meteor has vanished. 

For the best views in Vicenza, head for the open mountain landscapes of the Asiago Plateau, a destination with an unusually serious astronomical pedigree. Cima Ekar is home to the Copernico telescope, whose 1.82 metre mirror makes it the largest optical telescope operating on Italian soil. This particular night, however, is about watching the whole sky. 

Halley's Comet has been observed for more than two thousand years. Its appearance in 1066 was recorded in the Bayeux Tapestry, alongside the events surrounding the Norman conquest of England. Nearly a millennium later, the same comet continues to provide astronomers with valuable material. Every time Halley approaches the Sun, its nucleus releases dust and other particles along its orbit. Earth encounters part of that material twice a year, producing the Eta Aquariids in May and the Orionids in October. The Orionids take their name from Orion, the constellation of the hunter. Their apparent point of origin lies just north of Betelgeuse, Orion's famous red star. The meteors can appear anywhere across the sky. NASA recommends looking well away from the radiant, where the luminous streaks can appear longer. There is something particularly satisfying about watching fragments from the comet that fascinated medieval observers, long before Edmond Halley established that its appearances followed a recurring orbit.

THE 2026 NIGHT: WAIT FOR THE MOON

21 October 2026, into the morning of 22 October.

This year's observing conditions come with a catch. The Moon will be in a bright waxing gibbous phase, reducing the visibility of the fainter meteors. The American Meteor Society estimates that the Orionids normally produce around 10 to 20 meteors per hour under favourable dark skies, but the lunar light will make the 2026 peak less productive for many observers. For Vicenza, the Moon is calculated to set at 03:09 on Thursday 22 October, according to Time and Date. That gives the night a particularly useful timetable.

03:15 to approximately 05:45 is the viewing window to aim for, after moonset and before the sky begins to brighten with the approach of dawn. Conditions still depend on the weather, visibility and local light pollution. Plan to spend at least half an hour outside. Your eyes need time to adapt to the darkness, and the meteors arrive unpredictably.

WHERE TO WATCH IN VICENZA

LARICI AND VAL FORMICA · ASIAGO PLATEAU, VICENZA

The high pastures of Larici and Val Formica offer wide views of the mountain sky, at approximately 1,650 metres above sea level. The area has already hosted guided astronomy excursions, including meteor watching near the observation facilities associated with the Skyscape project. Asiago Guide has organised walks here combining astronomical observation with the open landscapes of the plateau. For the Orionids, choose an accessible, safe location away from artificial lighting. The open pastures provide broad views of the sky, while the nearby mountain refuges may offer accommodation or hospitality according to their individual opening calendars.

PIANA DI MARCESINA · ENEGO, VICENZA

The broad mountain plain of Marcesina, in the municipality of Enego, offers another interesting setting for a meteor watching night. Its meadows and forests have attracted organised nocturnal outings, including excursions designed around the Perseid meteor shower. The relative distance from major urban lighting makes the area appealing for sky observation.

At the end of October, check mountain road conditions carefully and arrange any overnight access in advance. Choose an established and safely accessible observation point.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ORIONIDS

When is the Orionids meteor shower in 2026?

The Orionids peak during the night of 21 October and the morning of 22 October 2026. The shower remains active over a longer period, approximately from 2 October to 7 November.

Can you see Halley's Comet in 2026?

Halley's Comet is due to return in 2061. In October 2026, observers can see meteors produced by particles it left along its orbit during earlier passages through the Solar System.

What time should you watch the Orionids in Italy?

After midnight is generally best. In Vicenza in 2026, the Moon sets at approximately 03:09 on 22 October, making the following hours before dawn particularly promising.

Where can you watch the Orionids in Vicenza?

The Asiago Plateau offers several high altitude landscapes suitable for astronomy. Larici and Val Formica, as well as the Piana di Marcesina near Enego, are interesting areas to consider, subject to weather and safe nighttime access.

How many Orionid meteors will be visible?

In typical favourable conditions, the shower produces around 10 to 20 meteors per hour. The bright Moon in October 2026 may reduce the number visible, particularly before it sets.