MAPPING THE GALAXY DISTRIBUTION AT LARGE DISTANCES

We present the first results of the ESO-Sculptor Faint Galaxy Redshift Survey designed to study the large-scale galaxy distribution at large distances in the direction of the southern Galactic pole. The galaxy catalog is based on deep multicolor CCD photometry. To date, 353 galax ies with R less than or equal to 20.5 have a reliable redshift, repres enting a similar to 52% complete sample over 0.28 deg(2). By its combi nation of angular coverage and high sampling rate, this survey provide s the first detailed maps of the galaxy distribution in the redshift i nterval 0.1 less than or similar to z less than or similar to 0.5. The se maps reveal a large number of sharp walls separated by vast regions devoid of galaxies with diameters less than or similar to 50 h(-1) Mp c (using H-0 = 100 h km s(-1) Mpc(-1) and q(0) = 0.5). We find no evid ence for periodic structure on scales similar to 130 h(-1) Mpc as sugg ested by Koo et al. (1993). From the ESO-Sculptor Survey, the large-sc ale structure at z less than or similar to 0.5 appears to be consisten t with the results of the nearby surveys (Geller & Huchra 1989). These new data underline the essential role of densely sampled redshift sur veys for understanding the large-scale clustering at large distances.