Awards & Donations
UACNJ has been fortunate over the years to receive generous support from individuals, clubs, and organizations whose contributions have shaped what our facility is today. The records below represent a snapshot of some of the most meaningful donations and recognitions we have received. We are grateful to everyone named here, and to the countless volunteers whose time and talent have never appeared on any list but without whom none of this would have been possible.
Telescope Raffle Winners
Each year UACNJ has held a telescope raffle to support our programs. Congratulations to all of our past winners:
| Year | Winner | Location |
| 2019 | Karthik Angara | Bridgewater, NJ |
| 2018 | Jen Scarpati | Mountain Lakes, NJ |
| 2017 | Robert Malfucci | Brooklyn, NY |
| 2016 | Dana Campana | Blairstown, NJ |
| 2015 | Matthew Sharo | Washington, NJ |
| 2014 | Christian Blakely | Newton, NJ |
| 2013 | Connie Nathanson | Long Branch, NJ |
| 2012 | Adam Cassano | Dover, NJ |
| 2011 | Chris Lund | Staten Island, NY |
Dark Sky Awards
UACNJ has recognized individuals, businesses, and municipalities that have taken meaningful steps to reduce light pollution and preserve dark skies in our region.
| Year | Recipient | Reason |
| 2014 | Schindler Elevator | |
| 2009 | Mayor Lou Lanzerotti and Harding Township | For the installation of full cut-off, night sky friendly lighting at the town hall, library, and skating rink. |
| 2008 | Nic Platt, developer of Hartley Farms, New Vernon | For an aggressive and considerate lighting code requiring all homes in the development to use dark sky friendly fixtures. |
| 2007 | Boonton Walmart | For installing full cut-off lighting when renovating the former E. F. Drew chemical refining site at the base of Sheep Hill for their Boonton location. |
Donations
The following individuals, clubs, and organizations made significant contributions that directly funded equipment, infrastructure, and programs at UACNJ. Many of these donations were transformative for our facility.
| Donor | Contribution | Purpose |
| Exxon Corporation Volunteer Involvement Fund, Don Kruse | $500 Grant | Amateur research and educational purposes. |
| Exxon Corporation Volunteer Involvement Fund, Mike Luciuk and Don Kruse | $2,000 Grant | Purchase of a spectrograph for use with the 16-inch telescope in the Greenwood Observatory, for research and educational use. |
| Exxon Corporation Volunteer Involvement Fund, Mike Luciuk and Don Kruse | $2,000 Grant | Audiovisual and display equipment for public programs, including two slide projectors, an overhead projector, screens, and display case lighting. |
| Exxon Corporation Volunteer Involvement Fund, Mike Luciuk and Don Kruse | $2,000 Grant | TeleVue eyepieces, filters, a spectroscope, and related accessories for the 16-inch Newtonian in the Greenwood Observatory. |
| Exxon Corporation Volunteer Involvement Fund, Mike Luciuk and Don Kruse | $2,000 Grant | Purchase of a CCD imaging camera with filters and related equipment for electronic astronomical imaging and photometric applications. |
| The Montclair Telescope Club | Kimble-Kennedy 16-inch Newtonian-Cassegrain Telescope | A prize-winning instrument built by the club, recognized at the Stellafane convention in Springfield, Vermont. Installed in the UACNJ research observatory. |
| Rockland Astronomy Club | $500 Donation | New bunk beds for the observatory. |
| Bob Shandor, Phillipsburg, NJ | Heavy earth-moving equipment and operators | Clearing and leveling the ground for the five-observatory site at Jenny Jump, including three club observatories, a solar observatory, and a research observatory. |
