Globular cluster formation in mergers

Until recently, it was believed that essentially all globular clusters were formed very early in the history of the universe, and the investigation of their formation was primarily a theoretical question. However, the recent discovery of young compact star clusters formed during the merging of two galaxies provides the chance to directly observe the formation and evolution of what appear to be young globular clusters. These new observations have revitalized the study of globular clusters, and are providing important new insights into the merger process itself.