Lamp lighting apparatus

A lamp lighting apparatus comprises a glass tube, electrodes provided in an axis direction of the glass tube, and an inverter circuit which apply a high voltage of an alternating current to the electrodes. The inverter circuit includes an inverter control circuit which outputs a switching element operating signal, a switching element circuit which converts a direct current voltage into an alternating voltage by ON/OFF controlling the switching element according to the switching element operating signal, and a boosting transformer which boosts the alternating voltage from the switching circuit. In the lighting apparatus, a frequency of the switching element operating signal is higher than that in a steady state operating period, during at least part of period from a beginning of lighting according to the burst light control until the lamp emits light entirely, approximately in the axis direction of the lamp.