Extraterrestrials Invade California! Alien Con 2016 in Photos

Alien Con 2016

Ramin Talaie / Stringer / Getty Images

The History Channel hosted a convention for fans of the TV series "Ancient Aliens" and science-fiction enthusiasts in Santa Clara, Calif. over the Halloween weekend. Check out the incredible costumes and celebrity guests in this gallery.

Spaceship Wreck

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An Alien Con attendee takes a selfie in front of giant sculpture of a wrecked spaceship on Oct. 28.

Alien Abduction

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This Alien Con attendee poses for a photo in the clutches of a vicious-looking alien.

Saber Combat Skills Workshop

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Alien Con 2016 hosted a saber combat workshop for attendees on Oct. 29.

The Receptionist

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An inflatable alien sits behind the reception desk to greet visitors at Alien Con 2016.

An Alien Couple

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Two Alien Con attendees dress up for a costume party on Oct. 28.

Alien Faces for Sale

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A vendor sells alien masks at Alien Con 2016.

Big-Tailed Alien

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Alien Con 2016 attendees takes pictures of a man in an impressive alien costume on Oct. 29.

UFO Meets Windmill Woman

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A UFO appears to be attacking a windmill on a farm in this Alien Con attendee's costume during the costume party on Oct. 28.

Extraterrestrial Photo Op

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Alien Con 2016 attendees take souvenir photos at the main exhibition hall on Oct. 28.

"Star Wars"

Ramin Talaie / Stringer / Getty Images

Alien Con 2016 attendees dressed in costume at the main exhibition hall on Oct. 28.

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Hanneke Weitering
Contributing expert

Hanneke Weitering is a multimedia journalist in the Pacific Northwest reporting on the future of aviation at FutureFlight.aero and Aviation International News and was previously the Editor for Spaceflight and Astronomy news here at Space.com. As an editor with over 10 years of experience in science journalism she has previously written for Scholastic Classroom Magazines, MedPage Today and The Joint Institute for Computational Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. After studying physics at the University of Tennessee in her hometown of Knoxville, she earned her graduate degree in Science, Health and Environmental Reporting (SHERP) from New York University. Hanneke joined the Space.com team in 2016 as a staff writer and producer, covering topics including spaceflight and astronomy. She currently lives in Seattle, home of the Space Needle, with her cat and two snakes. In her spare time, Hanneke enjoys exploring the Rocky Mountains, basking in nature and looking for dark skies to gaze at the cosmos.