Introduction to experimental nuclear astrophysics

The present contribution aims to present some general features of the experimental approaches in Nuclear Astrophysics. After a general introduction on light elements nucleosynthesis and on how to determine the reaction rates in a stellar environment, we will focus our attention on underground experiments aimed to directly measure nuclear cross sections of astrophysics interest. We will discuss the 14N(p,\( \gamma\))15O and 12C + 12C reactions, underlying the advantages in approaching these measurements in a deep underground laboratory, as the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso.