Background: The O 17 (p, γ) F 18 reaction affects the production of key isotopes (eg, F 18 and O 18) in the explosive hydrogen burning that powers classical novae. Under these explosive conditions, the reaction rate is dominated by contributions from a narrow resonance at E c. m.= 183 keV and by the combined contributions of direct capture and low-energy tails of broad resonances. At present, the astrophysical reaction rate is not well constrained because of the lack of data in the energy region appropriate to classical novae.Purpose: This study aims at the measurement of the O 17 (p, γ) F 18 reaction cross section in order to determine its reaction rate in the temperature region appropriate to explosive hydrogen burning in novae.Method: The O 17 (p, γ) F 18 reaction cross section was measured using both the prompt detection of the emitted γ rays and an activation technique. Measurements were carried out at the …