The distance and age of the supernova remnants Kes 73 and AXP 1E 1841-045

We provide a new distance estimate to the supernova remnant (SNR) Kes 73 and its associated anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) 1E 1841-045.21 cm H I images and H I absorption/emission spectra from new VLA observations, and (CO)-C-13 emission spectra of Kes 73 and two adjacent compact H II regions (G27.276+0.148 and G27.491+0.189) are analyzed. The H I images show prominent absorption features associated with Kes 73 and the H II regions. The absorption appears up to the tangent point velocity giving a lower distance limit to Kes 73 of 7.5 kpc, which has previously been given as the upper limit. In addition, G27.276+0.148 and G27.491+0.189 are at the far kinematic distances of their radio recombination line velocities. There is prominent H I emission in the range 80-90 km s(-1) for all three objects. The two H II regions show H I absorption at similar to 84 km s(-1), but there is no absorption in the Kes 73 absorption spectrum. This implies an upper distance limit of similar to 9.8 kpc to Kes 73. This corrected larger distance to Kes 73/AXP 1E 1841-045 system leads to a refined age of the SNR of 500-1000 yr, and a similar to 50% larger AXP X-ray luminosity.