As part of a major international scientific effort, West and Joseph Brown observed the transit of Venus on June 3, 1769, publishing "An Account of the Observation of Venus upon the Sun the Third Day of June 1769". The observation was conducted from a platform on the east side of Providence. The street has since been named Transit Street in honor of the event. His work on the transit was so respected that he was made an honorary member of the American Philosophical Society and received an honorary Master of Arts from Cambridge College.