Abstract
A precise knowledge of the cross section of nuclear fusion reactions is a crucial ingredient in understanding stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis. At stellar temperatures, fusion cross sections are extremely small and difficult to measure.Measuring nuclear cross sections at astrophysical energies is a challenge that triggered a huge amount of experimental work. A breakthrough in this direction was the first operation of an underground accelerator at the Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics (LUNA) in Gran Sasso, Italy. The 1400 meters of rocks above the laboratory act as a natural shield against cosmic radiation, suppressing the background by orders of magnitude.The latest results achieved at LUNA are discussed, with special emphasis on the 22Ne(p,γ)23Na reaction. Future perspectives of the LUNA experiment are also illustrated.
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