Southeast officials are urging the importance of viewing the eclipse safely on Aug. 21.This is an amazing astronomical event for the University and local community to share together, said Dr. Peggy Hill, professor of physics of Southeast. To fully witness and appreciate this phenomenon, its important to protect your eyes when directly or indirectly viewing the eclipse.Thanks to a sponsorship by Eye Care Specialists, LLC in Cape Girardeau and the CORE Academy, a grant-funded initiative between Southeast's College of Education and Jacksonville State University, Southeast will make specially manufactured solar viewing glasses available, while supplies last, to University students, faculty and staff, alumni, local school children and visitors from the regional community. Eclipse glasses provide a safe, direct view of the total solar eclipse.Glasses have been placed in all residence hall rooms for on-campus students as they arrive. Glasses also are being made available at the University Center Information Desk, Kent Library Circulation Desk, Textbook Rental and the Student Recreation Center Services Desk. Southeast students can pick up solar glasses at the designated locations with their Redhawks ID. Solar glasses will be available during the events at Houck Field and River Campus for members of the University community and the general public while supplies last.Faculty and staff are receiving their eclipse glasses through campus mail today.On Aug. 21, glasses will be distributed at SEclipse activities on Normal Avenue between Academic Hall and Kent Library, and at Houck Field, the River Campus, Cape College Center and in the offices at Southeasts regional campuses in Sikeston, Kennett and Malden, Missouri. Glasses also will be available on Southeasts shuttles.Eclipse glasses are necessary during the partial solar eclipse phases before and after the total solar eclipse. It is only safe to view the eclipse without these glasses during the totality phase. There are also several ways to indirectly view the sun. All involve some form of projecting the suns image onto a viewing surface, such as a pinhole camera.For more information on safely viewing the eclipse, visit http://news.semo.edu/southeast-stresses-eye-care-safety-during-sight-of-a-lifetime/.