Is there a way to remove a disk image from the desktop without ejecting the disk?

I have my MacBook Pro set up to wirelessy back up to Time Machine over my AirPort Extreme to an external hard drive. It works great, except that there is a permanent disk image on the desktop of the "Time Machine Backups." I know it sounds silly, but having anything on the desktop bothers me and if I can make it go away, I'd like to! Is there a way to remove the disk image from the desktop without ejecting the disk? (It's very possible that there is a remarkably simple solution to this that I just haven't figured out)