Photodissociation spectra of vanadium cluster ion-xenon atom complexes Vn+Xe (n=5-8) have been measured between 290 and 670 nm. Spectra have been obtained by recording the depletion signal induced on the mass-selected cluster current intensity by the absorption of a photon. Due to the weak interaction between the ionic cluster and the rare-gas atom, photodissociation spectra are regarded as the absorption spectra of the vanadium cluster cations themselves. The absorption bands are broad, but several peaks can be resolved for the smallest sizes. The influence of the rare-gas atom on the electronic structure of the vanadium cluster cation is probed by performing the measurements on krypton instead of on xenon complexes. The features of the spectra do not change, but a blueshift of 0.12 eV is observed from krypton to xenon. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.