Abstract: A fluorescent lamp has at least a pair of electrodes, at least two circular discharge tubes connected to said electrodes and enclosing rare gas and mercury therein, and a phosphor coating provided on an inside wall of each of said discharge tubes, the two circular discharge tubes being arranged coaxially circularly on one and the same plane, the diameter of each of the discharge tubes being selected to have a value within a range of from 5 mm to 25 mm both inclusive, the luminance on surface of each of the discharge tubes being selected to have a value within a range of from 2.times.10.sup.4 Cd/m.sup.2 to 6.times.10.sup.4 Cd/m.sup.2.

Abstract: A lighting apparatus for an electric discharge lamp includes a lighting ballast capacitor connected in series to an electric dicharge lamp for stabilizing a lighting current to the lamp; a preheating ballast capacitor connected in parallel to the lamp for supplying a preheating electric power to the lamp; electric power supply including an output transformer for supplying an electric power to the lighting ballast capacitor; a control electric power supply circuit for obtaining a control electric power through the lighting ballast capacitor and discharge lamp or the preheating ballast capacitor without adding a stepdown transformer or a resistive element for voltage drop; and an oscillator which receives the control electric power from the control power supply circuit and controls the electric power supply. With this lighting apparatus, the electric power loss is made small and the miniaturization of the apparatus can be realized.