  The ultraviolet and far--ultraviolet spectra of HD 147888 allows to access
the v=0 as well as higher vibrational levels of the ground H2 electronic level.
We have determined column densities of the H2 molecule on vibrational levels
v=0-5 and rotational levels J=0-6.
  The ortho to para H2 ratio for the excited vibrational states equals to 1.2.
For the lowest vibrational state v=0 and rotational level J=1 the ortho to para
H2 ratio is only 0.16. The temperature of ortho-para thermodynamical
equilibrium is T_OP=43+-3 K.
  The large number of H2 absorption lines in the HST spectra allows to
determine column densities even from a noisy spectra.
  The measurements of H2 column densities on excited vibrational levels (from
the HST spectra) leads to constrains of radiation field in photon-dominated
regions (PDR) models of interstellar cloud towards HD 147888.
