In Louvain-la-Neuve, the Astrophysics REcoil Separator (ARES), was installed to measure (p, gamma) reactions of astrophysical interest induced by radioactive beams. ARES was coupled to the CYCLONE44 cyclotron. First tests performed with an F-19 stable beam, i.e., the H(F-19 Ne-20)gamma reaction, are reported. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.