Question

var date1 = new Date();  
date1.setFullYear(2011, 6, 1);  

// 2011-07-01, ok  
console.log(date1);

// set date2 the same date as date1  
var date2 = date1;

// ...

// now I'm gonna set a new date for date2  
date2.setFullYear(2011, 9, 8);

// 2011-10-08, ok  
console.log(date2);

// 2011-10-08, wrong, expecting 2011-07-01  
// I didn't assign a new date to date1  
// WHY is date1 changed?  
console.log(date1);

Answer 1

Date is object , so it is assigned as reference – simple approach is

date2 = new Date( date1 );