Methal halide lamp comprising a shaped ceramic discharge vessel

The invention provides a metal halide lamp having a ceramic discharge vessel, wherein the discharge vessel has a spheroid-like shape with a length L1 and a largest outer diameter d2, the discharge vessel further having curved extremities and openings at the curved extremities which have a curvature r3. The discharge vessel has an aspect ratio L1/d2 of 1.1? L1/d2? 2.2 and a shape parameter r3/d2 of 0.7 r3/d2 1.1. This lamp has the advantage that it can be operated at a relatively high power. Furthermore, the lamp has a relatively high efficacy. Moreover, the lamp can be operated horizontally and vertically, i.e. it can be qualified for universal burning.