From nuclear multifragmentation reactions to supernova explosions

In this talk I discuss properties of hot stellar matter at sub-nuclear densities which is formed in supernova explosions. I emphasize that thermodynamic conditions there are rather similar to those created in the laboratory by intermediate-energy heavy-ion collisions. Theoretical methods developed for the description of multi-fragment final states in such reactions can be used also for description of the stellar matter. I present main steps of the statistical approach to the equation of state and nuclear composition, dealing with an ensemble of nuclear species instead of one "average" nucleus.