Hey Timmaigh, we're actually tracking this bug interesting visual difference as well. It should eventually get fixed, it's just lower on the priority list right now. It's a Fresnel effect issue.
Thanks! I did not want to be nit-picker, the game is really pretty, and obviously it has no bearing on me enjoying playing it, but i am the kind of person, who cares for aesthetics, and this kinda stood out to me.
Anyway, since i am already on it and have your ear 
, i noticed few other things, that maybe are still just WIP (in which case consider this irrelevant), but some of the stuff has rather low res texturing for my liking - the research lab, the colony ship and the turret thingy come to mind. The turret is actually rather weak model as well, IMO it actually looks worse than its Sins 1 version. Compared to capital ships, which are all flawless in model quality and texturing, all of these look kinda not up to par.
Speaking of Starbase, i think its bump/normal texture its bit too aggressive, the paneling esepcially is too pronounced under certain angles. So is the metallic reflection/shine of the surface, it can be literally white, i think the reflection map could use toning down.
