We report crossed beam experiments on the laser assisted collisions Na(3s) + M + h upsilon --> Na(3p) + M with M = Kr, N-2, and CO2. By varying the photon polarization, we gain direct insight into the geometric properties of the collision complex. For the Na + Kr system, we are able to deduce from the experimental data the two possible directions (Condon vectors) of the internuclear axis at the moment of the optical transition.