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Recent redshift surveys of the Nilson-, Zwicky-, and ESO-Uppsala galaxy catalogues revealed that the bright galaxies in these catalogues follow a spatial distribution where large empty regions are surrounded by sheet-like structures of galaxies and clusters (e.g. Giovanelli & Haynes 1991). From an observer's point of view, one may simply ask if the voids in the above-mentioned galaxy maps are real or if they reflect special observational selection effects, e.g. in surface brightness, integral magnitude or diameter. These catalogues contain many bright galaxies (MB ∼ M∗ B), but only very few faint objects (MB ≥ M∗B + 3 m ). Older work on the distribution of intrinsically faint galaxies, like irregular dwarfs, claimed that the dwarfs follow the distribution which is outlined by the giant galaxies.

We performed UBVRI photometry in a 4.7° field of diameter centered on the North Ecliptic Pole, covering all 94 SAO stars and one planetary nebula. This represents the first step of an attempt to improve the knowledge of integrated starlight in this important viewing direction. The contribution of these bright stars to the integrated starlight is considerable (30–40%) and quite unevenly distributed. Therefore, surface photometry with large fields of view should be individually corrected for this contribution.