1999PASP..111.1248V

The young populous cluster NGC 1866 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), which is probably one of the most massive objects formed in the LMC during the last ∼3 Gyr, appears to have an unexpectedly high mass-to-light ratio. From its velocity dispersion Fischer and coworkers find its mass to be (1.35±0.25)x10⁵ M_☉. The luminosity of this cluster is M_v=-8.93±0.13, corresponding to L_v=(3.2±0.4)x10⁵ L_v,☉. This yields M/L_v=0.42±0.09 in solar units. For a cluster of age 0.1 Gyr, such a relatively high mass-to-light ratio requires a mass spectrum with an exponent x=1.72±0.09, or x=1.75±0.09 if mass loss by evolving stars is taken into account.