It has been observed that energetic gaseous ions mark their region of impingement on certain metals in color. Under identical conditions of bombardment, multicharged ions of the same gas mark their impact areas with different colors. The colors are sensitive to the type and energy of the ion as well as to the metal bombarded. These colors may result from reflections from thin films formed by reactions at the target. Because the colors indicate that thicker films are produced with increased ion energy, ion penetration depth as predicted by theory is compared with the depth indicated by the colors observed.