A system for real-time monitoring of flame properties in combustors and gasifiers which includes an imaging fiber optic bundle having a light receiving end and a light output end and a spectroscopic imaging system operably connected with the light output end of the imaging fiber optic bundle. The first station operates cooperatively with a feedstock feeder assembly which feeds feedstock to the first station and also charges blanks produced at the first station into a transfer capsule of a transferer assembly. The attenuation coefficient is determined to at least partially compensate for the target angle heel effect. The guide tube is positioned proximate a pair of adjacent spinous processes and then the spacer is removed from the guide tube so that the first pair of arms resiliently move away from each other and are disposed on a common lateral side of the spinous processes.