Davidson, George (1825-1911)

English-born US geodesist, geographer, and astronomer. He worked for 50 years with the US Coast Survey, mapping the Pacific coast for marine navigation. He was an avid astronomer and founded the first observatory in California in 1897.

He was born in Nottingham and went to the USA as a child. He published catalogues of star positions and, in 1898, was appointed honorary professor of geography and astronomy at the University of California.