Apparent solar time refers to the time based on the actual position of the sun in the sky. It is different from mean solar time, which is a standardized time based on the average movement of the sun. There are many synonyms for apparent solar time, including true solar time, sundial time, solar noon, and solar time. These terms all refer to the same concept, which is the time that would be indicated by a sundial. Apparent solar time is used in many traditional forms of timekeeping, such as determining the time for religious fasting and prayer, and for determining the optimal time for planting crops.