“M dwarfs, stars with masses 10% < solar mass < 60%, are under increasing scrutiny because these stars afford the most accessible near-future opportunity to study the atmospheres of terrestrial planets. Our knowledge of these precious planets depends critically upon understanding their faint host stars. I will discuss our volume-complete, all-sky sample of 413 M dwarfs within 15 pc. I will then go on to describe our efforts to spectroscopically identify and characterize the very closest companions to these stars. Finally, I will highlight LTT 1445, a stellar triplet at 7 pc. This is the nearest M dwarf system known to host transiting, rocky exoplanets, making them the most accessible rocky planets for atmospheric study yet discovered.“
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