2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/82876The current status of optical potentials employed in the prediction of thermonuclear reaction rates for astrophysics in the Hauser-Feshbach formalism is discussed. Special emphasis is put on $α$+nucleus potentials. A novel approach for the prediction of $α$+nucleus potentials is proposed. Further experimental efforts are motivated.5 pages, LaTeX, to appear in "Hirschegg '98: Nuclear Astrophysics", Proc. Int. Workshop XXVI on Gross Properties of Nuclei and Nuclear Excitations, January 11-17, 1998, Hirschegg, AustriaNuclear TheoryAstrophysicstext