The invention provides a steel pipe magnetic powder inspection fluorescent image detection apparatus and detection method. The detection apparatus comprises a steel pipe motion control system, a camera, an ultraviolet flash lamp containing an ultraviolet optical filter, a fluorescent optical filter installed before the lens of the camera, a magnetic powder image electric control system connected with the steel pipe motion control system and a monitoring computer connected with the magnetic powder image electric control system, wherein the magnetic powder image electric control system is also connected with the camera and the lens, and the monitoring computer is connected with the camera and a production management system. With the detection apparatus and detection method, the problem of poor imaging quality caused by weak magnetic powder fluorescence, insufficient brightness, complex steel pipe shapes, insufficient depth of field and motion smear of a steel pipe is overcome, fluorescent steel pipe images with high brightness, good size resolution, distinct gradation, low noise and high quality are obtained, and displaying, storage, retrieval and playback of fluorescent steel pipe images, detection of suspected defects and further confirmation of flaw detection defects of the steel pipe can be realized.