[jQuery] What is +new Date; in the function now()?

[Doug D]

I'm not familiar with the JavaScript syntax of "+new" in the now()
function in jQuery 1.2.5. Would you explain the plus (+) operator? How
does it work? What does it mean?

function now(){
    return +new Date;
}


Is it the same as the following?

function now(){
    return new Date();
}