Reddenings of quasars VS PSA counts at high galactic latitudes

The correlation betweenE(B-V) reddenings of high latitude radio quasars (from Teerikorpi, 1981) and star/galaxy counts from the PSA prints was investigated. With the resolution down to 5×5, the reddenings and the counts show the relationship expected if it is assumed that most of the high latitude stars (B<21 mag) are situated above the dust clouds. The dust causing the reddenings is probably connected with the population of molecular clouds observed at high galactic latitudes. The present study underlines the importance of simple star/galaxy counts (all images counted) for the study of high latitude variable extinction. The existence of variable extinction shows that also the average extinction must be significant.