A monitoring system for monitoring a process includes a housing with a viewing panel. The viewing panel includes a view port. An emitter generates light and illuminates an observation zone of the process. A detector is disposed within the housing and is configured to detect light entering the housing through the view port and create a plurality of images of the process in the observation zone. A thermal regulation system is configured to generate heat in the vicinity of the viewing panel of the housing so as to increase the temperature of at least the view port above ambient temperature.