Charles Sheldon Hastings (November 27, 1848 – January 31, 1932) was an American physicist known for his work in optics.

At the age of six the family moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where Charles received his early education.

Hastings entered Yale University's Sheffield School of Science in 1867 and received his bachelor's degree in 1870.

In 1875 he resigned to study in Germany and France until being named an associate at the new Johns Hopkins University in 1876.

[10][11] In 1898, Hastings co-authored, with Frederick E. Beach, a textbook entitled A Text-Book of General Physics, which has been characterized as "difficult."