  Classical novae are important contributors to the abundances of key isotopes,
such as the radioactive ^{18}F, whose observation by satellite missions could
provide constraints on nucleosynthesis models in novae. The
^{17}O(p,\gamma)^{18}F reaction plays a critical role in the synthesis of both
oxygen and fluorine isotopes but its reaction rate is not well determined
because of the lack of experimental data at energies relevant to novae
explosions. In this study, the reaction cross section has been measured
directly for the first time in a wide energy range Ecm = 200 - 370 keV
appropriate to hydrogen burning in classical novae. In addition, the E=183 keV
resonance strength, \omega \gamma=1.67\pm0.12 \mueV, has been measured with the
highest precision to date. The uncertainty on the ^{17}O(p,\gamma)^{18}F
reaction rate has been reduced by a factor of 4, thus leading to firmer
constraints on accurate models of novae nucleosynthesis.
