Discrete absorptions of the N-3(+) cation assigned to the A (3) Pi(u) <-- X (3) Sigma(g)(-) transition have been observed between 245 and 283 nm by detecting N+ photofragments. Rotational analysis of the (100) <-- (000) band yields the following molecular constants : A (3) Pi(u,100), T-100-000 = 36 671.8 cm(-1), A(100) = -39.67 cm(-1), B-100 = 0.4294 cm(-1) r(100) = 1.1857 Angstrom; X (3) Sigma(g)(-) B-0 = 0.4242 cm(-1), r(0) = 1.193 Angstrom, lambda(0) = 0.9125 cm(-1). A 2:1 alternation of rotational line intensities confirms that the ground state is centrosymmetric. As the origin of the A (3) Pi(u) <-- X (3) Sigma(g)(-) transition appears to be absent from the spectrum, only estimations of the A state vibrational frequencies are obtained : nu(1)’ = 1300 cm(-1), nu(2)’ = 440 cm(-1), nu(3)’ = 1700 cm(-1). In the (100)-(000) band individual rotational lines are observed with a laser limited width of 0.08 cm(-1), proving that the upper-state lifetime exceeds 50 ps.