A highly temperature dependent continuum corresponding to absorption by thermally excited molecules underlies the higher bands of the Schumann-Runge system of oxygen. This continuum has been experimentally determined at 18 wavelengths in the range 175 nm to 179 nm, and at temperatures of 90¿K and 294¿K. Calculations of the continuum cross-section made by solving the Schr¿dinger equation for the molecular potentials provide good agreement with the measured values. The continuum cross-section has been calculated at a range of temperatures for use in studies of the atmospheric absorption of solar radiation.