The faintest stars - Infrared photometry, spectra, and bolometric magnitude

Infrared JHKLL-prime photometry, and low resolution IF spectra are presented for the faintest stars. The stellar H2O bands which dominate the atmospheres of these stars were studied. L band fluxes of these stars are considerably depressed relative to L prime fluxes by the presence of stellar H2O absorption. Strong H2O absorption is observed in these infrared spectra. The amount of flux which is 'overcounted' when H2O absorption bands are ignored is examined. Bolometric fluxes are calculated using broadband photometry alone, requiring a correction of only approximately 5 percent to 10 percent. Photometric and spectral data is used to evaluate bolometric corrections and magnitudes of a sample of late type M dwarfs.