The distances of supernova remnants Kes 69 and G21.5-0.9 from H I and 13CO spectra

We obtain new HI and (CO)-C-13 images around supernova remnants Kes 69 and G21.5-0.9. By comparing HI spectra with (CO)-C-13 emission spectra, we significantly revise the kinematic distance for Kes 69 to similar to 5.5 kpc, which was 11.2 kpc, and refine the kinematic distance for G21.5-0.9 to similar to 4.8 kpc. For Kes 69, the highest velocity of absorption is similar to 86 km s(-1) and a prominent HI emission feature at similar to 112 km s(-1) has no respective absorption. These new results suggest that Kes 69 is associated with a newly detected extended 1720-MHz OH maser at velocity of similar to 85 km s(-1) that originates from within the bright southern radio shell of Kes 69. For G21.5-0.9, the highest velocity of absorption is similar to 67 km s(-1). The HI absorption spectra of the nearby bright source PMN J1832-1035 and Kes 69 show a common absorption feature at velocity of similar to 69 km s(-1), which is not seen for G21.5-0.9. The resulting velocity of similar to 68 km s(-1) gives the best distance estimate of similar to 4.8 kpc for G21.5-0.9 and associated young pulsar J1833-1034.