No longer zooming through Time Machine's Space, now just a gray vacuum

[steve...]

The animated "Space" background image when I enter Time Machine is now just a solid gray color. Otherwise, Time Machine seems to be working just fine.

This started several weeks ago when I was having trouble with my external USB Time Machine drive.

I've transferred the old backup to a new USB external but the gray background is still there. I ran Disk Utility > First Aid and everything checks out.

I can live with the gray but is this anything to be concerned about?

[space-time]

can you restore files? that's what really matters

[steve...]

Yes, everything seems normal, except for the missing animation.

[DewGuy]

Which version of OS X are you using? The newer versions, starting with Yosemite (I think it was) don't have the space background/animation it's just grey.

[steve...]

I upgraded to El Capitan from Yosemite. I don't know how I missed the change but I thought they were still using the space animation. I found an article on Apple.com that shows a blurred image background for El Capitan but this is not what I'm seeing (flat gray solid color).

[Speedy]

It may be because NASA is currently testing the EM drive. Time isn't what it was.

[bwicklander]

Black hole sucked it down... same for your data...

[DewGuy]

steve... wrote:
I upgraded to El Capitan from Yosemite. I don't know how I missed the change but I thought they were still using the space animation. I found an article on Apple.com that shows a blurred image background for El Capitan but this is not what I'm seeing (flat gray solid color).

What's showing in that pic is a blurred out version of whatever is used for the Desktop Picture. I currently have the "Enterprise" as my Desktop Picture and here's what I see for my desktop (top) and with Time Machine (bottom):

[steve...]

DewGuy wrote:
What's showing in that pic is a blurred out version of whatever is used for the Desktop Picture.

Thank you — this explains what is happening. (tu)

My Desktop Picture is an overall gray pattern with a little texture. If it were blurred, it would look like what I'm seeing in Time Machine.