Imaging of the merging galaxy NGC 3597 and its population of protoglobularclusters

We present wide field-of-view near-infrared imaging from the NTT and very d eep optical imaging from the HST of the young merging galaxy NGC 3597. The morphology of the galaxy and the properties of the newly formed protoglobul ar clusters (PGCs) are examined. Our K-band data reveal the presence of a s econd nucleus, which provides further evidence that NGC 3597 is the result of a recent merger. Combining new K-band photometry with optical photometry , we are able for the first time to derive a unique age for the newly forme d PGCs of a few Myr. This is consistent with the galaxy starburst age of le ss than or equal to 10 Myr. From deep HST imaging, we are able to probe the luminosity function similar to 8 magnitudes fainter than normal, old globu lar clusters, and confirm that the PGCs have a power-law distribution with a slope of similar to-2.