A lunar eclipse takes center stage

North Americans haven’t seen a total eclipse of the Moon since October 2004. This month, on March 3, the wait is over. The giant planets, Jupiter and Saturn, are also on display at various times during the night: Saturn in the early evening and Jupiter after midnight. Yet the evening’s first glowing attraction is Venus, which is prominent in the western sky. Start following the subtle changes of its sunlit disk this month. As spring turns into summer, Venus’ phase will morph at a faster pace.