Photos: Chris Hadfield, Canada's Star Astronaut, Hometown Visit

Welcome Sign

A sign in Sarnia, Ont. welcomes Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield back to his hometown.

Chris Hadfield At Book Signing

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield (left) shakes hands with Heather Bieke, a Detroit resident who arrived at his Nov. 23, 2013 Sarnia, Ont. book signing at 3 a.m. – nine hours before Hadfield.

Chris Hadfield With Young Fan

Star astronaut Chris Hadfield returned to his hometown of Sarnia, Ont. and was greeted by a party. Face painting, balloons and crowds met the Canadian who became world-famous for his social media exploits and guitar playing during Expeditions 34 and 35 in 2012 and 2013.

While Hadfield was on site at the Nov. 23, 2013 event, he met with a local body paint artist who made several pieces based on his pictures from orbit. Hadfield also shook hands and signed books for an estimated 1,000 fans who lined up to meet him.

Hadfield chats with a young fan at an event in Sarnia, Ont., Nov. 23, 2013 in this image.

Cat Cabajar And Painting

Sarnia, Ont. body paint artist Cat Cabajar poses with one of her pieces, inspired by pictures taken by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield during his 2012-13 space mission.

Cat Cabajar And Models

Cat Cabajar, an artist from Sarnia, Ont., works on a body art painting on Nov. 23, 2013.

Winnipeg Moustache

Framed on a picture of Winnipeg, Man. taken by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, the Red River appears to run like a large moustache underneath this model's nose. Art by Sarnia, Ont. artist Cat Cabajar.

Moustached Inspiration

Lily Johnson, 7, wearing facepaint inspired by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield at a book signing Nov. 23, 2013. At right is a balloon with Hadfield's face.

Chris Hadfield And Cat Cabajar

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield arrives with Sarnia, Ont. body paint artist Cat Cabajar at a book signing, Nov. 23, 2013. Cabajar received a $1,000 grant for pictures based on Hadfield's pictures from orbit.

Sarnia Crowds For Chris Hadfield

Organizers were expecting 1,000 people for a Nov. 23, 2013 book signing by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield in Sarnia, Ont. - population 72,000.

Hadfield Avatar Playing Guitar

An avatar of Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield hangs out in Degroots Nurseries, a few feet from where Hadfield himself was doing a book signing on Nov, 23, 2013.