  Galaxy interactions are known to trigger starbursts. The young star clusters
formed in mergers may be young globular clusters. The ages of these young star
clusters yield the timing of interaction-triggered star formation and provide
an important way to reconstruct the history of merging galaxies. Here we
present the first results from our investigation into age and metallicity of
twelve young clusters in the merging galaxy pair NGC 4676, using spectra from
the multi-object Low Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (LRIS) on Keck. For ten
clusters, comparison of the Balmer emission lines with model equivalent widths
(EWs) yields ages less than 10 Myr. Two spectra display Balmer absorption lines
typical of star clusters dominated by A-type stars, with estimated ages of
about 170 Myr. These ages are comparable to the dynamical age of the tidal
tails and are consistent with star formation triggered during the first passage
of the pair. The locations of these two clusters in the tidal tails are
generally consistent with predictions of shock-induced star formation models.
One of these older objects appears unresolved on the image and is luminous
enough to qualify as a young globular cluster. Using EWs of the diagnostic
lines [OII] and [OIII], we obtain oxygen abundances in the range 7.3 <
12+log(O/H) < 9.0. These values show a nearly flat distribution along the
northern tail, suggesting efficient gas mixing in the tail.
