This paper describes new apparatus capable of measuring direct absorption of cold molecular beams down to 1300 angstrom. The absorption of supersonically expanded CS2 was measured in the wavelength region 1620-1460 angstrom. The bands in the 1540-1480 angstrom region are all broad and predissociated and did not show any cooling effect. Four origins associated with excitations to Rydberg d states were assigned.