The Cygnus Loop is among the brightest and best studied evolved Galactic supernova remnants. However, its distance has remained uncertain thus undermining quantitative understanding about many of its fundamental properties. Here we present moderate-dispersion spectra of stars with projected locations toward the remnant. Spectra of three stars revealed Na I 5890,5896 A and Ca II 3934 A absorption features associated with the remnants expanding shell, with velocities ranging from -160 to +240 km/s. Combining Gaia DR2 parallax measurements for these stars with other recent observations, we find the distance to the Cygnus Loops centre is 735 +/-25 pc, only a bit less than the 770 pc value proposed by Minkowski some 60 years ago. Using this new distance, we discuss the remnants physical properties including size, SN explosion energy, and shock velocities. We also present multi-wavelength emission maps which reveal that, instead of being located in a progenitor wind-driven cavity as has long been assumed, the Cygnus Loop lies in an extended, low density region. Rather than wind-driven cavity walls, these images reveal in unprecedented clarity the sizes and locations of local interstellar clouds with which the remnant is interacting, giving rise to its large-scale morphology.
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