A xenon‐filled electronic flash tube with a cylindrical lighted volume of 1.2‐mm diam and 6‐mm length has been developed for use as a small source in optical systems, such as the schlieren and interferometer types. The lamp has been operated at 6000 flashes per second from a hydrogen‐thyratron driver circuit to record the density in air flow in an interferometer. Flash duration varies from 0.3 to 3 &mgr;sec, depending upon the circuit conditions. A peak brightness of 10 million candlepower per sq cm has been achieved.