Robert Grant (1814-1892), British astronomer. Although trained in chemistry in Scotland, Grant pursued his interest in astronomy, writing a supplement on the History of Physical Astronomy in 1848. The volume's success inspired him to publish a larger book on the subject, which won him several positions, including that of Professor of Astronomy at the University of Glasgow. He published A Glasgow Catalogue of Stars in 1883. He also devised a system of synchronising the public clocks in Glasgow with Greenwich time using direct current from the university's observatory.