Abstract: A cold-cathode ionization or Penning vacuum meter with an ignition system to increase the meter's usefulness at very low pressures. The ignition system comprises an additional anode and at least one additional cathode mounted adjacent to the primary, measuring, cathode and anode and within the same magnetic field as the primary cathode and anode. The at least one additional cathode and the anode are substantially smaller than the measuring cathode and the anode and serve to ignite or start the ionization of the atomosphere whose pressure needs to be measured.