The supernova appears to have been seen first on August 17, 1885, by French astronomer Ludovic Gully during a public stargazing event.

Irish amateur astronomer Isaac Ward in Belfast claimed to have seen the object on August 19, 1885, but did not immediately publish its existence.

[7][8] The telegram prompted widespread observations of the event,[9] and prompted Isaac Ward, Ludovic Gully, and several others to publish their earlier observations (the first reports on S Andromedae appeared before Hartwig's discovery letter which followed his telegram, since the letter was initially lost by Astronomische Nachrichten and only reprinted in a later issue).

[2] Both studies doubt that Ward really saw the event since his estimated magnitude is significantly off from the later reconstructed light curve,[2] and conclude that Hartwig should be considered as the discoverer of the supernova.

[2] It was reddish in color and declined rapidly in brightness, which is unusual for type Ia supernovae.