I noticed this situation in my code (unfortunately), and was able to duplicate it in my own JS file. So I have this code:

var date1 = new Date();  // today
var date2 = date1;

date2 = date2.setDate(date2.getDate() + 1);
// what is date1?

After this code executes, date1 is today's date + 1! This harkens back to my undergrad days when I learned about pointers, and I guess I'm a little rusty. Is that what's happening here? Obviously I've moved the assignment away from date1, and am only modifying date2, but date1 is being changed. Why is this the case?

Incidentally, after this code executes date2 is a long number like 1272123603911. I assume this is the number of seconds in the date, but shouldn't date2 still be a Date object? setDate() should return a Date object...

Thanks for the help.