An gano shi ta hanyar daukar hoto ta Richard M. West, na European Southern Observatory, a ranar 10 ga watan Agusta, 1975. Mai tauraron dan adam ya zo perihelion (mafi kusa da Sun) a ranar 25 ga Fabrairu, 1976. A lokacin perihelion, tauraron dan adam yana da mafi ƙarancin hasken rana na 6.4 ° kuma a sakamakon yaduwar gaba ya kai girman girman -3. Daga Fabrairu 25 zuwa 27, masu sa ido sun ba da rahoton cewa tauraron dan adam ya kasance mai haske sosai don yin nazari a cikin cikakken rana. Duk da haskensa, Comet West ya tafi ba a ba da rahoto ba a cikin kafofin watsa labarai. Wannan ya kasance saboda rashin jin daɗin nunawa na Comet Koethoutek a shekarar 1973, wanda aka yi hasashen ya zama sananne sosai: masana kimiyya suna yin taka tsantsan game da hasashen da zai iya tayar da tsammanin jama'a. Tambaya: Yaushe aka fara gano tauraron dan adam na West?
Ranar 10 ga watan Agustan shekara ta 1975