Aerolithology refers to the study of meteorites and other extraterrestrial objects that have entered Earth's atmosphere. Synonyms for this term include meteoritics, cosmochemistry and space rocks research. Meteoritics focuses on the scientific study of meteorites, while cosmochemistry looks at the chemical elements and isotopes present in space rocks. Space rocks research includes the study of not only meteorites and asteroids, but also comets and moon rocks. The study of these materials helps us to understand the formation and evolution of our solar system. While there are a variety of terms used to describe this field of study, they all share a common goal: to further our understanding of the world beyond our planet.