Here's a breakdown:

* Solar time is based on the apparent motion of the sun across the sky.

* Apparent solar time is the actual position of the sun, which varies slightly due to the Earth's elliptical orbit.

* Mean solar time is an average of apparent solar time over a year, making it more consistent.

While we use clocks based on mean solar time, it's important to remember that our concept of time is deeply connected to the sun's journey across the sky.