GALAXY NUMBER COUNTS FROM K=10 TO K=23

We present K-band galaxy number counts from four surveys in the range 12 < K < 23 and compare them to other existing data. We show that the slope of the counts changes at K almost-equal-to 17 from 0.67 to 0.26. Similarly, we show that the median B - K color turns over at K almost-equal-to 17, and the population of galaxies fainter than K almost-equal-to 18 rapidly becomes bluer. We show that the B-band and the K-band number counts are consistent with this color effect. The number counts are compared to passive evolution models, and the flat universe with nonzero cosmological constant model is ruled out by the data. The population of field galaxies changes at K almost-equal-to 17 where one would expect to see K* elliptical galaxies at a redshift of z almost-equal-to 1.