At World Series time, we cast our gaze skyward to a pattern of stars that resembles a perfect baseball game in the sky.

Some skywatchers might think were talking about the Great Square of Pegasus, landmark of the autumn sky, as a celestial ball field. The Square is high in the eastern sky right now, and many planetarium lecturers over the years have referenced it as a baseball diamond, even though the "diamond" itself is in rather banged-up condition.

But a far better configuration for baseball can be found in stars that lie overhead and toward the west. Astronomer Henry Neely (1879-1963), who worked at New Yorks Hayden Planetarium and was known as the "Dean of New York Stargazers," invented the modern view of this pattern more than half a century ago.

To find Neelys game, study the accompanying chart.

If you point this sky-high stadium out to friend or family, you might want to substitute names of star players on your favorite team for the somewhat unfamiliar names of the night skys stars. You can even embellish with a little play-by-play.

When describing the baseball game to planetarium audiences, Neely would sometimes point to a close pair of stars near Deneb (Omicron 1 and Omicron 2 Cygni).

"Well, it looks like theres some controversy brewing," Neely would say. "I see the manager having an argument with the home plate umpire."

"Obviously a big game today," Neely would always add, sweeping his electric pointer around the sky with a flourish. "Just look at all the people who showed up!"